Optical disk, and method apparatus for recording/reproducing data thereon wherein areas of the disk employ different formats

ABSTRACT

A data recording/reproducing optical disk comprises a plurality of land areas and a plurality of groove areas, which are formed in configuration as concentric circles in such a manner that a plurality of tracks are formed on the plurality of land areas and the plurality of groove areas, the plurality of tracks are partitioned into a plurality of zones provided on the disk from the inner side to the outer side thereof and a plurality of sector areas are formed on a track in a continuous manner with the plurality of sector areas on a next track, wherein the disk in use is rotated such that a rotation number of the disk in a zone is sequentially slowed in successive zones toward the outer side of the disk along a radial direction under a condition of a constant product of a rotation number and the number of sector areas in one track in each zone.

This is a division of application Ser. No. 09/107,511, filed Jun. 30,1998 now as U.S. Pat. No. 6,298,033.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a data recording/reproducing opticaldisk, a master disk manufacturing apparatus for an optical disk used inmanufacture of the optical disk and an optical diskrecording/reproducing apparatus (hereinafter simply referred to asoptical disk apparatus as well) using the optical disk.

Recently, a digital video disk (DVD) as an optical disk of a largestorage capacity has been developed and an optical disk apparatus whichis used for recording data on the optical disk and reproducing therecorded data thereon has also been developed.

An optical disk used in such an optical disk apparatus has a format suchthat a surface of the optical disk is partitioned along a radialdirection, into a plurality of annular zones comprising a plurality oftracks. Each zone has the same number of sectors in one track thereinand the number of sectors in one track in a zone is increased by onebetween adjacent two zones toward the outer side of the optical disk andthis is applied through all the zones along a radial direction.

The above described optical disk apparatus is designed so as to performonly recording at an almost fixed linear speed (laser light from anoptical head travels at an almost constant moving speed along a track onthe optical disk) according to characteristics of the optical disk. Forthis reason, a different rotation number is adopted for a different zonewhen data is recorded. That is, a rotation number of the disk issequentially decreased as the laser light travels in recording along aradial direction from an inner side zone to the outer side zone on theoptical disk.

Besides, when data is reproduced, a rotation number along a radialdirection is changed from the inner zone to the outer zone in a similarmanner to the recording.

In such an optical disk apparatus, a data transmission rate is differentin a different zone when reproducing is performed.

Therefore, when an animation is recorded as data and the data arereproduced, there is a need for circuitry through which a transmissionrate is adjusted so as to assume the same value since a transmissionrate is different in a different zone. In such a case, the transmissionrate is adjusted to the lowest rate, which entails a problem: thetransmission rate thus adjusted is slow.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

It is an object of the present invention to provide an optical disk inwhich a transmission rate is not slowed, but secured at a constant valueand in which data recording/reproducing for an animation and the likecan be performed without any additional special circuitry, a master diskmanufacturing apparatus for the optical disk and an optical diskrecording/reproducing apparatus using the optical disk.

The present invention is directed to a data recording/reproducingoptical disk comprising: a plurality of land areas and a plurality ofgroove areas, which are formed on a disk made of resin in configurationof a spiral shape or as concentric circles in such a manner that eachfull round of the configuration, spiral or circular, consists of one ofa land area and a groove area, and a land area and a groove area in therounds of the configuration, spiral or circular, are disposedalternately in a sequential manner along a radial direction of the disk;and a plurality of tracks formed on the plurality of land areas and theplurality of groove areas, the plurality of tracks being partitionedinto a plurality of zones provided on the disk from the inner side tothe outer side thereof, a plurality of sector areas being formed on atrack in a continuous manner with the plurality of sector areas on anext track and a format being adopted that each sector area includes anaddress area where an address data which means the location of thesector on the track is recorded and a recording area where an arbitrarydata is recorded, the number of sector areas in the plurality of sectorareas is increased by one between tracks in the radial direction fromthe inner side to the outer side of the disk, and the plurality ofsector areas including a plurality of block areas in each of which aplurality of error correction recording areas used for recording errorcorrection data for reproduction of the recorded arbitrary data withhigh fidelity are included, wherein the disk in use is rotated such thata rotation number of the disk in a zone is sequentially slowed insuccessive zones toward the outer side of the disk along a radialdirection under a condition of a constant product of a rotation numberand the number of sector areas in one track in each zone.

Since the product of a rotation number and the number of sector areas inone track in each zone is constant, as described above, recording andreproducing of arbitrary data can be performed at the same transmissionrate. That is, even when a disk is rotated at a different rotationnumber R in each zone, there is always established a relation that R·n=Camong R and the number n of sector areas in one track in each zone ofthe disk, and a product C thereof. That is, since a product of arotation number R and the number n of sector areas in one track in eachzone of the disk is always constant, a transmission rate of data readout from the disk is always constant. For this reason, in the case ofthe present invention, a recording/reproducing process can be realizedat the maximum transmission rate since a stable, constant transmissionrate can be obtained as compared with a conventional case.

The present invention specifies a disk manufacturing apparatus for sucha disk and a disk recording/reproducing apparatus.

The present invention is directed to a data recording/reproducingoptical disk, which comprises a first area in which data recording andreproducing can be effected based on a first format; and a second areain which data for recognizing a disk can only be reproduced based on asecond format.

According to the present invention, an emboss area in the second formatis provided in addition to an area in the first format which is anordinary recording area recorded in the emboss area is informationexclusively used to read out control information and the like. Withprovision of this area, even when no access can be performed to anordinary recording area for some reason or other, it is possible to readimportant read information such as control information or the like. Thisenables investigation into why an ordinary area cannot be accessed andthus makes access to a disk more certain.

Since the, that land areas and groove areas are respectively providedwith change areas, recording/reproducing can be realized with morecertainty even when recording in a primary area is not conducted in anorderly manner.

The present invention is directed to a data recording and reproducingoptical disk, in which a plurality of land sectors are disposed alongone round of a spiral track and a plurality of groove sectors aredisposed along one round of the spiral track in such a manner that theplurality of land sectors and the plurality of groove sectors arealternately successively disposed on spiral tracks along a radialdirection, in repetition of one round of the plurality of land sectorsand a next one round of the plurality of groove sectors, comprising: afirst rewritable data area in which each of a first predetermined numberof land sectors and the first predetermined number of groove sectors isdisposed along one round of a spiral track, a land sector including afirst recording section, which is an area in the shape of a land wheredata recording/reproducing is conducted, and which is disposed on aspiral track, and a first half header section, which indicates addressinformation of data recorded and reproduced on the first recordingsection, and which is located ahead of the first recording section and agroove sector including a second recording section, which is an area inthe shape of a groove where data recording/reproducing is conducted, andwhich is disposed on the spiral track, and a second half header section,which indicates address information of data recorded and reproduced onthe second recording section, and which is located ahead of the secondrecording section and disposed in pair with the first half headersection in a zig-zag shifted manner; a first change area located in thevicinity of the first rewritable data area, in which when data write isnot performed in the first rewritable data area in an orderly manner,the data write is performed instead of the first rewritable data area,including the first predetermined number of land sectors and the firstpredetermined number of groove sectors each disposed along one round ofa spiral track; a second rewritable data area including: a secondpredetermined number of land sectors and the second predetermined numberof grooves disposed each along one round of a spiral track, wherein thesecond predetermined number is different from the first predeterminednumber; and a second change area located in the vicinity of the secondwritable data area, in which when data write is not performed in thesecond rewritable data area in an orderly manner, the data write isperformed instead of the second rewritable data area, including thesecond predetermined number of land sectors and the second predeterminednumber of groove sectors each disposed along one round of a spiraltrack.

The present invention similarly provides areas for a land area and agroove area respectively, whereby data recording/reproducing arerealized with more certainty even when recording is not performed in anorderly manner in a primary area. Such structural features are in moredetailed manner specified in the invention described just above.

The present invention is directed to a data recording/reproducingoptical disk comprising: a plurality of land areas and a plurality ofgroove areas, which are formed on a disk made of resin in configurationof a spiral shape or as concentric circles in such a manner that eachfull round of the configuration, spiral or circular, consists of one ofa land area and a groove area, and a land area and a groove area in therounds of the configuration, spiral or circular, are disposedalternately in a sequential manner along a radial direction of the disk;and a plurality of tracks formed on the plurality of land areas and theplurality of groove areas, the plurality of tracks being partitionedinto a plurality of zones provided on the disk from the inner side tothe outer side thereof, a plurality of sector areas being formed on atrack in a continuous manner with the plurality of sector areas on anext track, a format being adopted that each sector area includes anaddress area where an address data which means the location of thesector area on the track is recorded and a recording area where anarbitrary data is recorded, the number of sector areas in the pluralityof sector areas being increased by one between tracks in a radialdirection from the inner side to the outer side of the disk, and theplurality of sector areas including a plurality of block areas in eachof which a plurality of error correction recording areas used forrecording error correction data for reproduction of the recordedarbitrary data with high fidelity are included, wherein the disk in useis rotated such that a rotation number of the disk in a zone issequentially slowed in successive zones toward the outer side of thedisk along a radial direction under a condition of a constant product ofa rotation number and the number of sector areas in one track in eachzone and the plurality of tracks includes a rewritable data area inwhich recording and reproducing of data can be conducted, having a firstrecording section which is in the shape of a land where datarecording/reproducing is performed, a first half header section in whichaddress information corresponding to the first recording section isrecorded, a second recording section which is in the shape of a groovewhere data recording/reproducing is performed and a second half headersection, in which address information corresponding to the secondrecording section is recorded, and which is disposed in pair with thefirst header section in a zig-zag shifted manner.

According to the present invention, a product of a rotation number andthe number of sector areas along one track round in each of zones has aconstant value, that is R·n=C, whereby the same rate can be obtainedbetween zones to realize a stable reproduction.

In addition to this, the present invention described has a configurationin which the first half header section and the second half header asdescribed above are disposed in a zig-zag shifted manner with a spacetherebetween, whereby 1) reliability in reading is increased because amargin in distance between adjacent pits is provided, 2) a narrow beamexclusively used for a header is not necessary any longer and thuscutting can be possible by one beam with a high speed and 3) aconverting position between a land and a groove can be detected withease.

Additional objects and advantages of the invention will be set forth inthe description which follows, and in part will be obvious from thedescription, or may be learned by practice of the invention. The objectand advantages of the invention may be realized and obtained by means ofthe instrumentalities and combinations particularly pointed outhereinafter.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING

The accompanying drawings, which are incorporated in and constitute apart of the specification, illustrate a presently preferred embodimentof the invention and together with the general description given aboveand the detailed description of the preferred embodiment given below,serve to explain the principles of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a block diagram showing a schematic structure of a cuttingapparatus for explaining an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram showing a structure of a laser generator;

FIG. 3 is a representation for explaining formation of a groove,formation of an address pit and a modulation signal;

FIG. 4 is a representation for explaining the number of sectors in onetrack and the like in each zone of an optical disk;

FIG. 5 is a representation for explaining a rotation speed and the likein each zone of an optical disk;

FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a schematic structure of an optical disk;

FIG. 7 is a representation showing a schematic structure of an opticaldisk;

FIG. 8 is a graph for explaining a transmission rate calculated from arotation number and the number of sectors in one track of data area ineach zone on an optical disk;

FIG. 9 is a representation for explaining the content of each zone of adata area of an optical disk;

FIG. 10 is a representation for explaining the structure of an ECC blockof an optical disk;

FIG. 11 is a representation for explaining the structure of an ECC blockof an optical disk;

FIG. 12 is a representation for explaining the structure of each sectorof an ECC block;

FIG. 13 is a representation for explaining a preformat data in a headersection of an optical disk;

FIG. 14 is a representation for explaining a preformat data in a headersection of an optical disk;

FIG. 15 is a representation for explaining a sector format of an ECCblock;

FIG. 16 is a block diagram showing a schematic structure of an opticalsystem;

FIG. 17 is a block diagram showing a schematic structure of a trackingcontrol circuit;

FIG. 18 is a diagram for explaining a signal waveform in a main sectionof a tracking control circuit;

FIGS. 19A, 19B are representations, as a model, showing structures of aheader section of a sector on a recording/reproducing optical diskpertaining to an embodiment of the invention of the present application;

FIG. 20 is a view showing a master recording apparatus for recordingrecess/protrusion profiles corresponding to a groove and a pit on amaster disk by cutting in manufacture of a recording/reproducing opticaldisk pertaining to an embodiment of the invention of the presentapplication;

FIG. 21A is a representation showing an overall structure of a sector ona recording/reproducing optical disk pertaining to an embodiment of theinvention of the present application;

FIG. 21B is a representation in detail showing a header section of thesector of FIG. 21A;

FIG. 22 is a block diagram showing overall structure of an optical diskapparatus for performing recording/reproducing of information on arecording/reproducing optical disk pertaining to an embodiment of theinvention of the present application;

FIG. 23 is a representation, as a model, showing the structure of aheader section disposed in a zig-zag shifted manner and in theneighborhood of the header section pertaining to an embodiment of theinvention of the present application;

FIG. 24 is a view, as a model, of a recording/reproducing optical diskpertaining to an embodiment of the invention of the present applicationwherein the optical disk is partitioned into a plurality of annularzones;

FIG. 25 is a representation for explaining stages of development increation of the present invention; and

FIGS. 26A, 26B are graphs showing signal changes in reading on zig-zagshift headers of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Below described will be a master disk manufacturing apparatus for anoptical disk showing an embodiment of the present invention in referenceto the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a cutting apparatus for manufacturing a glass master diskand producing a stamper (mastering process). In FIG. 1, it the cuttingapparatus works to form a protruding portion (groove) of a track and arecorded mark (pit) in the shape of a tiny recess by melting photoresistcoated on a glass substrate 1 with no recess/protrusion profiles thereonunder ON/OFF application of laser power when manufacturing the glassmaster disk for a recording/reproducing optical disk (RAM).

In FIG. 1, the glass substrate 1 coated with photoresist is rotated by amotor 3 at various rotation numbers wherein a rotation number isdifferent in a different zone as described later. The motor 3 iscontrolled by a motor control circuit 4.

A cutting process on the glass substrate 1 is conducted by an opticalhead 5. The optical head 5 is fixedly mounted to a driving coil 7constituting a moving part of a linear motor 6 and the driving coil 7 isconnected to a linear motor control circuit 8.

A speed detector 9 is connected to the linear motor control circuit 8and a speed signal of the speed detector 9 is transmitted to the linearmotor control circuit 8.

A stationary part of the linear motor 6 is provided with a permanentmagnet not shown and the driving coil 7 is excited by the linear motorcontrol circuit 8 and thereby the optical head 5 is moved along a radialdirection of the glass substrate 1.

The optical head 5 is provided with an objective lens 10 supported by awire or a leaf spring not shown and the objective lens 10 can be movedalong not only a focusing direction (an optical axis direction of thelens) by a driving coil 12 and a tracking direction (a directionintersecting an optical axis of the lens at a right angle) by a drivingcoil 11.

Laser light generated from a laser generator 19 driven by a lasercontrol circuit 13 is projected on the glass substrate 1 through a halfprism 21 and the objective lens 10 and reflected light from the glasssubstrate 1 is guided to a photodetector 24 through the objective lens10, the half prism 21, a collective lens 22 and a cylindrical lens 23.

The laser generator 19 comprises, as shown in FIG. 2, a semiconductorlaser oscillator (or Ar/Ne laser oscillator) 19 a generating laserlight, a collimator lens 19 b by which laser rays from the semiconductorlaser oscillator 19 a are collimated, a beam splitter 19 c which divideslaser light from the collimator lens 19 b into transmissive light andreflecting light, a modulator 19 d which modulates laser lighttransmitting the beam splitter 19 c, a modulator 19 f which modulateslaser light which is reflected on the beam splitter 19 c and guidedthrough a mirror 19 e and a half prism 19 h, which transmits laser lightfrom the modulator 19 d, and which reflects laser light guided through amirror 19 g from the modulator 19 f. The modulators 19 d, 19 f work soas to selectively intercept laser light guided thereto by a controlsignal from the laser control circuit 13 and are constituted from, forexample a shutter or the like. The modulator 19 d allows laser light totransmit itself by modulating according to a modulation signal shown inthe case (c) of FIG. 3 when a groove is formed and the modulator 19 fallows laser light to transmit itself by modulating according to amodulation signal shown in the case of (b) of FIG. 3 when an address pitis formed.

Laser light Ca from the modulator 19 d is guided to the glass substrate1 through the half prism 19 h, the half prism 21 and the objective lens10, and laser light Cb from the modulator 19 f is guided to the glasssubstrate 1 through the mirror 19 g, the half prism 19 h, the half prism21 and the objective lens 10.

At this point, the center of the laser light Ca coincides with thecenter of a groove and the center of the laser light Cb is deviated fromthe center of the groove in a radial direction of the glass substrate 1by adjustment of the mirror 19 g.

In such a condition, as shown in (a) of FIG. 3, the center of the laserlight coincides with the center of the groove and the center of thelaser light Ca coincides with an extension of the boundary line betweena land and the groove.

The photodetector 24 is constructed from light detecting cells 24 a, 24b, 24 c and 24 d, wherein the photodetector 24 is divided in four ways.

Output signals from the light detecting cells 24 a, 24 b, 24 c, 24 d arerespectively supplied through amplifiers 25 a, 25 b, 25 c, 25 d to aterminal of an adder 26 a, a terminal of an adder 26 b, the otherterminal of the adder 26 a and the other terminal of the adder 26 d.

An output signal of the adder 26 a is supplied to the inversion inputterminal of a differential amplifier OP1 and an output signal of theadder 26 b is supplied to the non-inversion input terminal of thedifferential amplifier OP1. The differential amplifier OP1 therebyoutputs a signal relating to a focal point in accordance with adifference between output signals of the adders 26 a, 26 b to supply thesignal to a focusing control circuit 27. An output signal of thefocusing control circuit 27 is supplied to the focusing driving coil 12and the laser light is controlled on the optical disk to be always in ajust focusing condition.

A tracking control circuit 28 produces a track driving signal accordingto a control signal supplied from CPU 30 through a D/A converter 31.

A track driving signal output from the tracking control circuit 28 issupplied to the driving coil 11 in a tracking direction.

With the supply of a track driving signal to the driving coil 11, theobjective lens 10 gradually moves a distance of one track while theglass substrate is rotated one rotation.

When the objective lens 10 moves under control of the tracking controlcircuit 28, the linear motor control circuit 8 drives the linear motor6, that is moves the optical head 5 so that the objective lens 10assumes its position in the vicinity of the center of the optical head5.

A modulation circuit 14 is provided in a preceding stage of the lasercontrol circuit 13. The modulation circuit 14 modulates a preformat datarecorded in an emboss data zone of a read-in area, which data issupplied from a memory 33 described later, and a preformat data in theheader area of each sector of each zone in a data area according to an 8to 16 code conversion method or the like.

The cutting apparatus is provided with the D/A converter 31 for exchangeof data between the focusing control circuit 27, the tracking controlcircuit 28 or the linear motor control circuit 8 and the CPU 30.

The laser control circuit 13, the focusing control circuit 27, thetracking control circuit 28, the linear motor control circuit 8, themotor control circuit 4, the modulation circuit 14 and the like arecontrolled by the CPU 30 through a bus line 29 and the CPU 30 conducts apredetermined processing by an instruction to start cutting from anoperator control panel 34 and according to a program stored in thememory 33.

The memory 33 stores a position along a radial direction of zones, thenumber of sectors in one track of each zone, the number of tracks ofeach zone, physical sector numbers of zones and rotation numbers of eachzone and in addition, data in a header section preformatted in each zoneof a memory area.

Tracks in the emboss data zone of the read-in area are formed by groovesin the shape of a spiral and a track in each zone of the memory areaassume a single spiral mode constituted by a combination of grooves andlands both in the shape of a spiral wherein one round of a track isconstituted from either a groove or a land and a groove abuts on a landor vice versa in a radial direction. Tracks in a rewritable data zone ofthe read-in area and tracks in a read-out area may respectively beformed with spiral grooves only, but the tracks in both areas mayrespectively be formed with mixtures of spiral lands and spiral grooves,wherein one round of a track is constituted by either a groove or a landand a groove abuts on a land or vice versa in a radial direction.

With use of the above described cutting apparatus, in manufacture of aglass master disk, recesses corresponding to grooves and emboss data areformed in accordance with a structure of an optical disk 40 describedlater while the glass substrate is rotated at a rotation numbercorresponding to each zone.

In the cutting apparatus, photoresist on the glass substrate 1 isselectively molten across the surface thereof in accordance with groovesand header sections and after the cutting is over, developing and aconductive treatment are applied to the surface to obtain the glassmaster disk. The glass master disk is subjected to electroplating or thelike to manufacture a stamper which has a nickel layer or the likethereon.

An optical layer 40 for recording/reproducing is manufactured with useof the stamper in an injection stamping method or the like.

A structure of the optical disk 40 thus fabricated will be described.

The optical disk 40 is constructed from, for example, a disk-likesubstrate made of a transparent resin such as polycarbonate resin oracrylic resin of 0.6 mm thick, a recording film of a phase change type,a reflective film, a protective film, a bonding sheet and an adhesiveagent. A groove and header information are recorded in arecess/protrusion profile on substrates, the recording film and the likeare formed on the surface having the recess/protrusion profile of eachsubstrate, and two substrates thus processed are bonded to each other onthe surfaces having the surface profile to manufacture with adouble-sided recording/reproducing disk.

The optical disk 40, as shown in FIGS. 4 to 7, has a structurecontaining are an emboss data zone 45 of a read-in area 42 and arewritable data zone 46, zones 43 a, . . . 43 x of a data area 43 and adata zone of a read-out area 44 from the inner side to the outer side ofthe disk, wherein clock signals for respective zones are the same androtation numbers (rotation speeds) and the numbers of sectors in onetrack for the respective zones are different from one another.

The read-in area 42 is constructed from an emboss data zone 45comprising a plurality (1896) of tracks and a rewritable data zone 46comprising a plurality of tracks. The emboss data zone 45 is constructedfrom a blank zone, reference signal zone, a blank zone, a control datazone, and a blank zone. The emboss zone 45 records a reference signaland a control data in a manufacturing process. The rewritable data zone46 is constructed from a guard track zone, a disk test zone, a drivetest zone, a disk recognition zone and a change control zone as a changecontrol area.

The data area 43 is constructed from a plurality of, for example, 24zones consisting of 43 a, . . . 43 x along a radial direction, eachcomprising a plurality (1888) of tracks. Among the zones, only the zone43 a comprises the rewritable data zone 46 and thenumber of tracks is1888 in total.

The read-out area 44 is constructed from a plurality (1446) of tracks,the area is a collection of rewritable data zones as is in the case ofthe rewritable data zone 46 and the area can record the same content asthat of the data zone 46.

In zones 43 a, . . . 43 x of the data area 43, a rotation number (aspeed is 39.78 to 19.9 Hz) of each zone is slowed from the inner side tothe outer side of an optical disk and the number of sectors (17 to 40)in one track of a zone is increased in the same direction.

Therefore, since a transmission rate in each zone of the optical disk 40in reproducing is determined by the number of sectors in one track inthe zone and a rotation number of the zone and as described above, arotation number in a zone is gradually decreased from a rotation numberof 39.78 along a direction from the inner side zone to the outer sidezone of the optical disk 40, while the number of sectors in one track isincreased from 17 at a rate of one per one track, thus a transmissionrate in each zone is the same (11080000 bit rate: 11.08 Mbps) as shownin FIG. 8.

A product of the number of sectors in one track and a rotation number ineach zone is constant. The constant value is a value (676.3) obtainedwhen a bit rate as a transmission rate is divided by the number of bitsper sector (2048×8).

That is, the bit rate is a product of the number of sectors in onetrack, the number of user bits in one sector and a rotation number in azone.

Accordingly, when a rotation number (Hz) of an optical disk 40 isindicated by S, a user data bit rate (bps) is indicated by R. the numberof sectors in one track is indicated by N and the number of user bits inone sector is indicated by B, the following formula is given:

S=R/(N·B)

Relations between speed data as a rotation number, the number of sectorsin one track and the like in the respective zones 43 a, . . . 43 x, 44,45, 46 are recorded in a table 93 a of a memory 93 of an optical diskapparatus 61 (described later) or the emboss data zone 45 of the opticaldisk 40 according to the contents shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

Guide areas as buffer areas are provided on the outer and inner sides ofeach zone (a guide area between adjacent two zones), where datarecording is not conducted. But there are exception in that no guideareas are provided on the inner side of the zone 43 a and on the outerside of the zone 43 x. The zones 43 a, . . . 43 x are constructed from24 groups (numbered with 0 to 23) where data are actually recorded withexclusion of guide areas provided on the inner and outer sides. Thegroups each are constructed from a user area and a spare sectorcomprising an alternate sector for a defective sector. The spare area islocated on the outside of the outer periphery of the user area.

The contents of the zones 43 a, . . . 43 x (numbered with 0 to 23) arerecorded in the table 93 a of the memory of 93 the optical diskapparatus 61 or in the emboss data zone 45 of the optical disk 40.

That is, as shown in FIG. 9, each zone is recorded with a zone number,the number of sectors in one track (one round), a start sector number(hexa), the sector number of a guard area on the inner side (hexa), agroup number, the sector number of a user area (hexa) and the number ofECC blocks, the sector number (hexa) and the number of sectors of aspare area, the sector number of a guard area on the outer side (hexa),an end sector number (hexa), the start sector number of a group, and thestart sector number of the group (hexa).

The number of sectors in one track is increased from the inner side tothe outer side of the optical disk like 17 for zone 0, 18 for zone 1, .. . 40 for zone 23 at a rate of one sector per one in the zone number. Astart number shows the first sector number of the corresponding zone ina hexadecimal notation. The sector number of a guard area on the innerside shows the first sector number and the end sector number of theguard area on the inner side of the corresponding zone in a hexadecimalnotation. A group number is attached with the same number as thecorresponding zone number. The sector number of a user area shows thefirst sector number and the end sector number of the user area of thecorresponding zone in a hexadecimal notation. The number of ECC blocksshows the number of ECC blocks in the user area of the correspondingzone in a decimal notation. The sector number of a spare area shows thefirst sector number and the end sector number of the spare area of thecorresponding zone in a hexadecimal notation. The number of sectors inthe spare area shows the number of sectors in the spare area of thecorresponding zone in a decimal notation. The sector number of a guardarea on the outer side shows the first sector number and the end sectornumber in the guard area on the outer side of the corresponding zone ina hexadecimal notation. An end sector number shows the end sector numberof the corresponding zone in a hexadecimal notation. The start sectornumber of a group shows the start sector number in actual use in thegroup of the corresponding zone in decimal and hexadecimal notations andsector numbers in a zone are attached with consecutive integer numbers.

In tracks in the zones 43 a, . . . 43 x of the data area 43, as shown inFIGS. 6 and 7, data are recorded in each ECC (error correction code)block data unit (for example 38688 bytes) as a data recording unit.

An ECC block comprises 16 sectors in which data are recorded to 2K bytesand, as shown in FIG. 10, sector ID (identification data) 1 of 1 to ID16 comprising 4 bytes (32 bits) as an address data in each sector arerespectively attached to main data (sector data) together with an errordetection code (IED: ID error detection code) comprising 2 bytes andthere are recorded ECC (error correction code) 1 in a lateral directionand ECC 2 in a longitudinal direction as an error correction code forreproduction of data recorded in the ECC block. The ECCs 1, 2 are errorcorrection codes which are attached to/data as redundancy codes thatprevents failures in data reproduction due to a defect of an opticaldisk 40.

Sectors each are constructed from 172 bytes, which is data in 12 linesand each line is provided not only with ECC 1 comprising 10 bytes in alateral direction but with ECC 2 in a longitudinal direction comprising182 bytes in one line. Thus an error correction circuit 92 is to performnot only error correction for each line by use of the ECC 1 in a lateraldirection but error correction for each column by use of the ECC 2 in alongitudinal direction.

When an ECC block as described above is recorded on the optical disk 40,as shown in FIG. 11, a synchronous code (2 bytes: 32 channel bits) isattached to a predetermined data quantity in each sector (for example,at each predetermined data length interval of 91 bytes: 1456 channelbits) in order to establish synchronization in bytes in datareproducing.

Each sector is constructed, as shown in FIG. 12, from 26 framesconsisting of a first frame through a twenty-fifth frame and asynchronous code (frame synchronous signal) conferred to each frame isconstructed from a specified code (1 byte: 16 channel bits) forspecifying a frame number and a common code (1 byte: 16 channel bits)used in common with the other frames.

That is, as shown in FIG. 12, the 0 frame comprises SY0, the 2nd, 10thand 18th frames comprise SY1, the 4th, 12th and 20th frames compriseSY2, the 6th, 14th and 22nd frames comprise SY3, the 8th, 16th and 24thframes comprise SY4, the 1st, 3rd, 5th, 7th and 9th frames comprise SY5,the 11th, 13th, 15th and 17th frames comprise SY6 and the 19th, 21st,23rd and 25th frames comprise SY7.

On tracks of the zones 43 a, . . . 43 x in the data area 43, as shown inFIG. 6, header sections 51, . . . in which addresses and the like arerecorded are respectively preformatted in sectors in advance.

The header section 51 is formed when a groove is formed. The headersection 51 is provided with a plurality of pits 52 formed, as shown inFIGS. 13 and 14, and they are preformatted as shown in the figures for agroove 53, so that the center of the pit 52 is located at a position onthe same line as a boundary line between the groove 53 and a land 54.FIG. 13 shows the header section 51 conferred to the first sector ofeach track and FIG. 14 shows the header section 51 conferred to a sectorat a position between the first and end sectors.

As shown in FIGS. 13 and 14, a pit row ID 1 is the header section ofland 1, a pit row ID 2 is the header section of groove 2, a pit row ID 3is the header section of land 2, a pit row ID 4 is the header section ofgroove 3, a pit row ID 5 is the header section of land 3 and a pit rowID 6 is the header section of groove 4.

Therefore, the header sections for grooves and the header sections forlands are disposed right and left alternately in a zig-zag shiftedmanner.

A format for each sector is shown in FIG. 15.

One sector comprises 2697 bytes in FIG. 15 and is constructed from aheader area 51 (corresponding to the header section 51) of 128 bytes, amirror area 57 of 2 bytes and a recording area 58 of 2567 bytes.

Channel bits recorded in the sectors are in the form subjected to 8-16code conversion in which an original 8 bit data is converted to 16 bitsin channel bit.

The header area 51 is an area where a predetermined data is recordedwhen an optical disk 40 is manufactured. The header area 51 isconstructed from 4 header areas, that is from header 1 area, header 2area, header 3 area and header 4 area.

The header 1 area through the header 4 area comprise 46 bytes or 18bytes and each is constructed from a synchronous code VFO (VariableFrequency Oscillator) of 36 bytes or 8 bytes, an address mark AM(Address Mark) of 3 bytes, an address section PID (Position Identifier)of 4 bytes, an error detecting code IED (ID Error Detecting code) of 2bytes and a postamble PA (Postambles) of 1 byte.

The header 1 area and the header 3 area each have a synchronous codesection VFO 1 of 36 bytes, and the header 2 area and the header 4 areaeach have a synchronous code section VFO 2 of 8 bytes.

The synchronous code sections VFO 1, 2 are areas for enabling PLL tofunction in a proper manner and the synchronous code section VFO 1records a series of “010” in channel bit equivalent to “36” bytes(corresponding to 576 channel bits), wherein a pattern in apredetermined interval is recorded, and the synchronous code section VFO2 records a series of “010” equivalent to “8 bytes” (corresponding to128 bits in channel bits).

The address mark AM is a synchronous code of 3 bytes which indicateswhere a sector address gets started. A pattern of each byte of theaddress mark AM uses a special pattern of “0100100000000100” which doesnot appear in a data.

The address sections PID 1 to PID 4 are areas where sector addresses(including an ID number) are recorded as address information of 4 bytes.A sector address is a physical sector number represented as a physicaladdress showing a physical location on a track and the physical sectornumber is recorded in a mastering process, whereby the address cannot berewritten.

The ID number is, for example “1” in the case of PID 1 and identifiesthe number of times a header section has been overwritten after startingthe quadruple overwrites in a header 51.

The error detection code IED is an error detection code for a sectoraddress (including an ID number) and can detect whether or not an erroris present in a PID which is read.

The postamble PA includes state information necessary for demodulationand plays a role to in adjusting polarity so that a header section 51 isfinished in a space.

The mirror area 57 is utilized for offset correction of a tracking errorsignal and timing generation for a land/groove conversion.

The recording area 58 is constructed from a gap area of 10 to 26 bytes,guard 1 area of 20 to 26 bytes, VOF 3 area of 35 bytes, pre-synchronouscode (PS) area of 3 bytes, data area of 2418 bytes, postamble 3 (PA 3)area of 1 byte, guard area 2 area of 48 to 55 bytes and buffer area of 9to 25 bytes.

The gap area is an area where no write is conducted.

The guard 1 area is an area provided in order that a terminaldegradation in repetition of recording which is peculiar to aphase-change recording medium does not affect the VOF area.

The VOF 3 area is provided for PLL lock as well but synchronization isexercised at a byte boundary by inserting a synchronous code between thesame patterns.

The PS (pre-synchronous code) area is an area provided forsynchronization to attain a smooth shift to a data area.

The data area is constructed from a data ID, a data ID error correctioncode IED (Data ID Error Detection Code), a synchronous code, an ECC(Error Correction Code), EDC (Error Detection Code) and user data andthe like. The data ID is sectors ID 1 to ID 16 of 4 bytes (32 channelbits) for sectors. The data ID error correction code IDE is an errorcorrection code comprising 2 bytes (16 bits) for the data ID.

The sector ID (1 to 16) is constructed from sector information of 1 byte(8 bits) and a sector number (a logical sector number as a logicaladdress indicating a logical position on a track) of 3 bytes. The sectorinformation is constructed from a sector format type area of 1 bit, atracking method area of 1 bit, a reflectance area of 1 bit, a reservearea of 1 bit, an area type area of 2 bits, a data type area of 1 bitand a layer number area of 1 bit.

The logical sector number is different from a physical number when aslipping replacement algorithm due to an initial defect is performed.

The PA (postamble) 3 area includes data necessary for demodulation andis an area showing a termination of the last byte of the preceding area.

The guard 2 area is an area provided in order that a terminaldegradation in repetition of recording which is peculiar to aphase-change recording medium does not affect the data area.

The buffer area is an area provided to absorb fluctuations in rotationof a motor rotating the optical disk 40 so that a data area is notsuperposed on a next header area 51.

The reason why the gap area is expressed by 10+J/16 bytes is that arandom shift is conducted. The random shift displaces a startingposition for writing in order to a e degradation resulting fromrepetition of recording on a phase-change recording medium. A length ofa random shift is adjusted by a length of a buffer area located at theend of the data area and a length of the whole of one sector is aconstant value of 2697 bytes.

In each of the zones 43 a, . . . 43 x of the data area 43, a sparesector, as described above, is provided and utilized as a final sparewhen a slipping replacement algorithm in a sector unit is performed inthe same zone.

The master disk has the same structure as the optical disk 40.

Next described will be an optical disk system 60 using the optical disk40.

The optical disk system 60 shown in FIG. 16 comprises: the optical diskapparatus 61 in which data (information) is recorded on an optical disk(DVD-RAM) 40 as a recording medium by use of converged light rays anddata recorded on the optical disk 40 is reproduced and an optical diskcontrol apparatus 62 is an external apparatus which gives instructionson recording and reproducing to the optical disk 61.

In FIG. 16, the optical disk 40 is rotated, for example, at a differentrotation number in a different zone by a motor 63. The motor 63 iscontrolled by a motor control circuit 64.

Data recording on the optical disk 40 and reproducing recorded data onthe optical disk 40 are conducted by an optical head 65. The opticalhead 65 is fixedly mounted to a driving coil 67 constituting a movingpart of a linear motor 66 and the driving coil 67 is connected to alinear motor control circuit 68.

A speed detector 69 is connected to the linear motor control circuit 68and a speed signal of the optical head 65 is transmitted to the linearmotor control circuit 68.

A stationary section of the linear motor 66 is provided with a permanentmagnet not shown and the driving coil 67 is excited by the linear motorcontrol circuit 68, whereby the optical head 65 is moved along a radialdirection of the optical disk 40.

An objective lens 70 is supported on the optical head 65 with a wire ora leaf spring not shown and the objective lens 70 can be moved along afocusing direction (an optical axis direction of the lens) by thedriving coil 71 and can also be moved along a tracking direction (adirection intersecting an optical axis of the lens at a right angle) bydriving of a driving coil 72.

A semiconductor laser oscillator 79 is driven by a laser control circuit73 and laser light is generated. The control circuit 73 corrects aquantity of laser light from the semiconductor laser oscillator 79 basedon a monitor current from a photodiode PD for monitoring thesemiconductor laser oscillator 79.

The laser control circuit 73 is operated in synchronization with a clocksignal for recording from a PLL circuit not shown. The PLL circuitdivides a master clock signal generated by an oscillator (not shown) tothereby generate a recording clock signal.

Laser light generated from the semiconductor laser oscillator 79 drivenby the laser control circuit 73 is guided through a collimator lens 80,a half prism 81 and an objective lens 70 and finally directed on theoptical disk 40 and reflecting light from the optical disk 40 is guidedthrough an objective lens 70, a half prism 81, a collective lens 82 anda cylindrical lens 83 then to a photodetector 84.

The photodetector 84 is constructed from light detecting cells 84 a, 84b, 84 c and 84 d, wherein the photodetector 24 is divided in four ways.

Output signals from the light detecting cells 84 a, 84 b, 84 c, 84 d arerespectively supplied through amplifiers 85 a, 85 b, 85 c, 85 d to aterminal of an adder 86 a, a terminal of an adder 86 b, the otherterminal of the adder 86 a and the other terminal of the adder 86 b.

Output signals from the light detecting cells 84 a, 84 b, 84 c, 84 dconstituting the photodetector 84 are respectively supplied throughamplifiers 85 a, 85 b, 85 c, 85 d to a terminal of an adder 86 c, aterminal of an adder 86 d, the other terminal of the adder 86 d and theother terminal of the adder 86 c.

An output signal of the adder 86 a is supplied to the inversion inputterminal of a differential amplifier OP2 and an output signal of theadder 86 b is supplied to the non-inversion input terminal of thedifferential amplifier OP2. Thereby, the differential amplifier OP2supplies a signal relating to a focal point (a focus error signal) basedon a difference between output signals of the adders 86 a, 86 b to afocusing control circuit 87. An output signal of the focusing controlcircuit 87 is supplied to a focusing driving coil 71 and thereby, thelaser light is controlled on the optical disk to be always in a justfocusing condition.

An output signal of the adder 86 c is supplied to the inversion inputterminal of a differential amplifier OP1 and an output signal of theadder 86 d is supplied to the non-inversion terminal of the differentialamplifier OP1. Thereby, the differential amplifier OP1 supplies atracking error signal to a tracking control circuit 88 based on adifference between the output signals of the adders 86 c, 86 d. Thetracking control circuit 88 generates a track driving signal based onthe tracking error signal supplied from the differential amplifier OP1.

The track driving signal output from the tracking control circuit 88 issupplied to the driving coil 72 in the tracking direction. Moreover, thetracking error signal used in the tracking control circuit 88 issupplied to the linear motor control circuit 68.

In the situation where focusing and tracking are conducted as describedabove, a change in a reflectance on a pit (recorded data) formed on atrack is reflected on a sum signal of outputs of the light detectingcells 86 a to 86 d of the photodetector 84, that is a signal which isthe sum of output signals of the adders 86 c, 86 d obtained in the adder86 e. The sum signal is supplied to the data reproducing circuit 78,which reproduces a recorded data.

A reproduced data in the data reproducing circuit 78 is output to theoptical disk control apparatus 62 as an external apparatus through aninterface circuit 95 after error correction is conducted on thereproduced data in an error correction circuit 92 by use of an errorcorrection code ECC attached thereto.

While the objective lens 70 is moved by the tracking control circuit 88,the linear motor control circuit 68 moves the linear motor 66, that isthe optical head 65, so that the objective lens 70 is positioned in thevicinity of the center of the optical head 65.

The data forming circuit 74 is provided in the preceding stage of thelaser control circuit 73. The data forming circuit 74 comprises: an ECCblock data forming circuit 74 a in which a format data of an ECC blockas a recorded data, as shown in FIG. 10, supplied from the errorcorrection circuit 92 is converted to a format data of an ECC block forrecording attached with a synchronous code for the ECC block, as shownin FIG. 11; and the modulation circuit 74 b in which the recorded datafrom the ECC block data forming circuit 74 a is modulated by an 8 to 16code conversion method.

The data forming circuit 74 is supplied with a recorded data to which anerror correction code is attached by the error correction circuit 92 anda dummy data for error check read out from a memory 10. The errorcorrection circuit 92 is supplied with a recorded data from the opticaldisk control apparatus 62 as an external apparatus through the interfacecircuit 95 and the bus 89.

In the error correction circuit 92, the recorded data of 32 Kbytessupplied from the optical disk control apparatus 62 is attached not onlywith error correction codes (ECC 1, ECC 2) of 2 Kbytes in lateral andlongitudinal directions for recorded data in a sector unit but with asector ID (logical address number) to form a format data of the ECCblock as shown in FIG. 10.

The optical disk apparatus 61 is equipped with a D/A converter 91 whichis used for exchange of information between a CPU 90 which controls thewhole system of the optical disk apparatus and other circuits which arethe focusing control circuit 87, the tracking control circuit 88, thelinear motor control circuit 68.

The CPU 90 controls the motor control circuit 64, the linear motorcontrol circuit 68, the laser control circuit 73, the data reproducingcircuit 78, the focusing control circuit 87, the tracking controlcircuit 88, the error correction circuit 92 and the like through the bus89 and the CPU 93 works in accordance with a control program stored in amemory 93 so as to perform a predetermined operation.

The memory 93 has a stored control program and is used for datarecording. The memory 93 has a table 93 a in which recorded are a speeddata as a rotation number and the number of sectors in one track foreach of the zones 43 a, . . . 43 x, 44, 45, 46 and the like.

The tracking control circuit 88 is constructed from a change switch 101,a polarity convertor 102, a phase compensate circuit 103 and a drivingcircuit 104 as shown in FIG. 17.

The change switch 101 is operated by a tracking polarity convertingsignal (land/groove converting signal) from the CPU 90 and when apolarity of a tracking polarity converting signal is of a groove, atrack error signal from the differential amplifier OP1 is output to thephase compensate circuit 103 and when a polarity of a tracking polarityconverting signal is of a land, a track error signal whose polarity isconverted by the polarity convertor 102 is output to the phasecompensate circuit 103.

The polarity convertor 102 is to convert a polarity of a track errorsignal supplied from the differential amplifier OP1 to of a reversephase and an output thereof is supplied to the change switch 101.

The phase compensate circuit 103 compensates a phase of a track errorsignal of a positive polarity (positive phase) supplied from the changeswitch 101 or a track error signal of a reverse polarity (reverse phase)and outputs the track error signal compensated in its phase to thedriving circuit 104.

The driving circuit 104 drives the driving coil 71 based on a trackdriving signal from the phase compensate circuit 103 and the objectivelens 70 is thereby moved along a tracking direction.

A track error signal changes with displacement of a position of laserlight in relation to a groove and a land, as shown in FIGS. 18(a),18(b). That is, when the laser light is located in the center between agroove and a land, a track signal indicates 0 and as the laser lightmoves away from the center, the difference grows larger.

Next described will be the mechanism of the optical disk apparatus 61for realization of a zoned CLV format.

The optical head 65 mounted on the optical disk apparatus 61 has a homeposition and is controlled so as not to fail to assume this homeposition when power is applied. The home position is designed so thatthe optical head may assume a position in a radial directionmechanically and the CPU 90 knows how many zones there are before thehome position including the zone where the optical head is to be locatedand adjusts a rotation number of the optical disk. At this position, aposition of the header section, that is an address thereof, is confirmed(read a sector address of the current position). When a seek of a sectorneeds to be conducted, a distance is calculated from an address of thesector to which a seek is conducted and a current address and the linearmotor 67 as a coarse adjustment mechanism of the optical head 65 isdriven. A rotation number of the optical disk 40 is obtained from theaddress number of a sector to which a seek is conducted by referring tothe table 93 a to find a zone number and a rotation number and the motorcontrol circuit 64 is controlled so that the motor 63 shows the rotationnumber.

Thereafter, when the optical head 65 is moved by the linear motor 67, aposition after the movement is confirmed by read on the header section51. Calculation is conducted to obtain a difference between the movedposition and the position of a target sector to which a seek isconducted and a track jump corresponding to the difference is conductedto move to the target sector by use of the tracking control circuit 88.

Next, described will be processing in which an animation is recordedbetween zones of an optical disk 40 in a bridging manner in such a wayas described above.

Described will be, for example, processing when recording (write) from apredetermined ECC block (zone 0) is conducted.

An instruction of recording (write) from a predetermined ECC block (zone0) in the data area 43 of the optical disk 40 and recording data aresupplied into the optical disk apparatus 61 through the interfacecircuit 95 from the optical disk control apparatus 62. Thereby, theinstruction of data recording from the predetermined ECC block issupplied to the CPU 90 and the recording data is stored in the memory93.

Thereby, the CPU 90 judges a record from the first sector of the ECCblock and not only an address consisting of a track number and a sectornumber corresponding to the first sector but a rotation number (39.78Hz) corresponding to zone 0 in which the first sector is included basedon the content of a storage of the table 93 a.

According to the judgment, the CPU 90 rotates the optical disk 40 at arotation number (39.87) corresponding to zone 0 in which the ECC blockto be recorded is included and an illuminating position of the laserlight from the optical head 65 is moved to a position corresponding tothe address.

After this access processing is conducted, the CPU 90 produces arecording data for a first ECC block by newly attaching a correctioncode from the recording data supplied and the new recording data isrecorded on the optical disk 1.

Thereafter, recording of data supplied from the optical disk controlcircuit 62 to ECC blocks continuously disposed in the same zone isconducted.

After data recording to the end ECC block in the user area of zone 0 isover, the CPU 90 judges shifting to zone 1, reads out a new rotationnumber corresponding to zone 1 (37.57 Hz) from the table 93 a of thememory 93 and changes a rotation number of the optical disk 40 to thenew rotation number. The laser light from the optical head 65 tracestracks in a guard area (on the outer side) of zone 0 and a guard area(on the inner side) of zone 1 until a rotation number is changed and thenew rotation number is stabilized. For this reason, fluctuations inrotation number can be absorbed.

As a result of the above process, data recording is successivelyconducted on each of the first ECC blocks and the following ECC blocksin the user area of zone 1.

When data is recorded in a bridging manner over zones, a transmissionrate can be secured at a constant value throughout the entire surface ofan optical disk according to a relation between a rotation number andthe number of sectors in one track of the optical disk 40, as describedabove.

Described next will be the process of reproducing an animation recordedover zones of the optical disk 40

For example, now described will be the process of reproducing (read)from a predetermined ECC block (zone 0).

An instruction on reproducing (read) data from a predetermined ECC blockin the data area 43 of the optical disk 40 is supplied to the CPU 90 inthe optical disk apparatus 61 through the interface circuit 95 from theoptical disk control apparatus 62. Based on the instruction, the CPU 90judges reproducing from the first sector in the ECC block and judges arotation number (39.78 Hz) corresponding to zone 0 in which the firstsector is included together with an address consisting of a track numberand a sector number corresponding to the first sector based on a storagecontent in the table 93 a of the memory 93.

According to the judgment, the CPU 90 conducts an access processing suchthat the CPU 90 rotates the optical disk 40 at a rotation number (39.78Hz) corresponding to zone 0 in which ECC blocks to be recorded areincluded and moves an illuminating position of the laser light from theoptical head 65 to a position corresponding to the address.

After the access processing is over, the CPU 90 outputs data in eachsector area included in an ECC block as a unit, which is demodulated bythe demodulation circuit (not shown) in the data reproducing circuit 78,to the error correction circuit 92. Thereby, data of one ECC block issupplied to the error correction circuit 92 and error correctionprocessing is conducted by use of ECC 1 and ECC 2.

When the correction by the error correction processing is judged to befinished in an orderly manner, the CPU 90 outputs reproduced data fromthe reproduced ECC block as a reproducing result to the optical controlcircuit 62 through the interface circuit 95.

Thereafter, reproduced data from consecutive ECC blocks in the same zoneare outputs to the optical disk control circuit 62.

After reproduced data of the end ECC block in the user area of zone 0 isoutput to the optical disk control circuit 62, the CPU 90 judges shiftto zone 1 and reads out a new rotation number (37.57 Hz) correspondingto zone 1 from the table 93 a of the memory 93 to change a rotationnumber of the optical disk 40 to the new rotation number. The laserlight of the optical head 65 traces a guard area (on the outer side) ofzone 0 and a guard area (on the inner side) of zone 1 until a rotationnumber is changed and the new rotation number is stabilized. Therefore,fluctuations in rotation number can be absorbed.

As a result, reproduced data in the user area of zone 1 are successivelyoutput starting from the first ECC block to the following ECC blocks tothe optical disk control circuit 62. When data are reproduced onconsecutive zones in a bridging manner, a transmission rate ofreproduced data can be kept unchanged without any slow down according toa relation between a rotation number of the optical disk 40 and thenumber of sectors in one track of the optical disk 40 and an animationcan thus be reproduced without the need for any special circuits.

Therefore, a transmission rate can be kept almost constant all over theoptical disk. That is, a constant user data bit rate can be securedacross the entire surface of the optical disk, which enables serial datasuch as an animation to be recorded and reproduced.

An example, in which an emboss area is provided in order to store dataespecially required for reproducing such as control information or thelike, which is another embodiment of the present invention, will bedescribed in detail in reference to FIG. 19A and the following figures.

In addition, described in detail will be an embodiment in which whenrecording is not conducted in a primary recording area in an orderlymanner, the recording is conducted in a second recording area in thevicinity of the primary recording area in reference to FIG. 19A and thefollowing figures.

Also described, describe in detail will be an embodiment in reference toFIGS. 19A to 26B in which, with a configuration that the first halfheader section and the second half header are disposed in a zig-zagshifted manner with a space therebetween, 1) reliability in reading isincreased because a margin in distance between adjacent pits isprovided, 2) a narrow beam exclusively used for a header is notnecessary any longer and thus cutting can be possible by one beam with ahigh speed and 3) a converting position between a land and a groove canbe detected with ease.

The embodiments can be executed by applying of the first embodiment ofthe present invention that a transmission rate is kept at a constantvalue by making a product of a rotation number and the number of sectorsin one track as a constant value.

Structures of header sections in sectors of a recording/reproducingoptical disk according to an embodiment of the invention of the presentapplication are shown as models in FIGS. 19A, 19B. When a track istraced in a spiral manner on an optical disk whose header sections havestructures shown in FIGS. 19A, 19B, a tracking polarity changes in aradial direction between any pair of adjacent tracks in such an order ofland, groove, land, groove and so on without any track jump. Thestructures will be described below.

FIG. 19A shows header sections in sectors in converting conditions of atracking polarity. A sector in a converting condition of a trackingpolarity is hereinafter referred to as the first sector. FIG. 19B showsthe structure of header sections in sectors other than the first sector.In a structure in which groove and land sectors are converted to eachother between successive rounds, as described above, there is a need toconvert a tracking polarity between groove and land sectors in trackingand sectors in a converting condition assume a different headerconfiguration from the other sectors.

A header section shown by Header 1, Header 2, Header 3 and Header 4 isan area where a recess/protrusion profile called a “pit” is formed andpredetermined address information on a sector is recorded by therecess/protrusion profile. Information recording areas indicated by RF1to RF8 and R1 to R8 are areas made of, for example a recording film of aphase change type and hereinafter referred to as “a recording section.”In the case of a phase change recording film, a difference inreflectance caused by a change in an optical property between acrystalline state and amorphous state of the recording film is utilizedby a user for recording/reproducing of information. RF5 to RF8 and R5 toR8 in the recording section each indicate a recording section for asector in which a guide groove is formed and hereinafter referred to asrecording section of a groove sector. On the other hand, RF1 to RF4 andR1 and R2 each indicate a recording section of a sector provided in aportion which is not a guide groove, and which is adjacent to a groovesector, and they are hereinafter referred to as a recording section of aland sector.

In FIGS. 19A and 19B, an arrow labeled OUTER SIDE points to the outerside of a disk and an arrow labeled INNER SIDE points to the inner sideof the disk. Therefore, a direction of the upper to lower side or viceversa corresponds to a radial direction. Besides, # (m+N), # (n+N) andthe like are sector numbers indicating sector addresses, wherein m and nindicate integers and N indicates the number of sectors along one roundof a track, for example the number is a predetermined integer falling inthe range of 17 to 40.

Description of FIG. 19A will be given in a more detailed manner. In FIG.19A, shown is a first sector on 4 tracks having sector numbers # m, #(m+N), # (m+2N) and # (m+3N). A header section in the first sector isformed by cutting in a quadruple write structure. Portions of aquadruply written header section respectively correspond to Header 1,Header 2, Header 3 and Header 4. Header 1 and Header 2 each constitute afirst half header section and Header 3 and Header 4 each constitute asecond half header section. Among them, the first header section is usedas a header section for a land sector and the second header section isused as a header section for a groove sector.

Further description on of FIG. 19A will be continued in a concretemanner. For a recording section RF5 of a groove sector # (m) whoseaddress is indicated by a sector number # (m), a second half headersection HF2, which is provided at a head portion of the recordingsection RF5 with Mirror Field (hereinafter referred to as mirrorsection) being inserted therebetween, is used as a header section of thesector. In this case, the second half header section HF2 comprisesHeader 3 and Header 4 in which address information of the sector number# (m) is recorded. The second half header section HF2 is shifted by ahalf of a track pitch toward the inner side relatively to a positionwhere the recording section RF5 of the groove sector # (m) is formed,that is the second half header section HF2 is parallel-translatedsideways for displacement. The track pitch is a distance between centersof a land and a groove which are adjacent to each other, said distancebeing shown by a mark P in FIG. 19A.

For a recording section RF2 of a land sector # (m+N) whose address isindicated by a sector number # (m+N), a first half header section HF1,which is provided at a forward position of the recording section RF2with not only a mirror section but in addition a space corresponding tothe second half header section HF2 inserted therebetween, is used as aheader section of the sector. In this case, the first half headersection HF1 comprises Header 1 and Header 2, in which addressinformation of the sector number # (m+N) is recorded. That is, the firsthalf header section HF1 shows address information which is differentfrom address information shown by the second half header section HF2 byone round of a track and to be more precise, the first half headersection HF1 shows address information which is different from the secondhalf header section HF2 by one round of a track toward the outer side.The first half header section HF1 is formed at a position which isshifted by a half of a track pitch toward the inner side relatively to aposition where the recording section RF2 of the land sector # (m+N) islocated.

In this case, the recording section RF2 of the land sector # (m+N) isformed in an adjacent manner to the recording section RF5 of the groovesector # (m). That is, the recording section RF2 of the land sector #(m+N) is formed at a position shifted toward the outer side relativelyto the recording section RF5 of the groove sector # (m) by one trackpitch. Thus, the first header section HF1 is formed at a positionshifted toward the outer side relatively to the second header sectionHF2 by one track pitch. The first header section HF1 and the secondheader section HF2 are manufactured in a continuous manner by cuttingdescribed later and Header 2 in the first header section HF1 and Header3 in the second header section HF2 are located in an adjacent manner.With such a configuration, the first header section HF1 and the secondheader section HF2 constitute a zig-zag shift header structure as apair.

A recording section RF1 of a land sector # (m−1) whose address isindicated by a sector number an address number one less than the sectornumber # (m) for the recording section RF5 in the groove sector # (m) isfabricated on the same track as the recording section RF5 of the groovesector # (m) with a space occupied by the first half header section HF1interposing between the recording section RF1 and the head portion ofthe second half header section HF2 which is a header section of thegroup sector # (m), that is a Header 3 portion. In a similar manner, arecording section RF6 of a groove sector # (m+N−1) whose address isindicated by an address number one less than the sector number # (m+N)for the recording section RF2 in the land sector # (m+N) is fabricatedon the same track as the recording section RF2 in the land sector #(m+N) in an adjacent manner to the head portion of the first half headersection HF1 which is a header section of the land sector # (m+N), thatis in an adjacent manner to a Header 1 portion.

In FIG. 19B, shown are sectors including three tracks of sector numbersof # n, # (n+N) and # (n+2N). A header section in the sector is formedin a similar manner to the case of the first sector by cutting describedlater in a quadruple write structure. Portions of a quadruply writtenheader section are respectively called Header 1, Header 2, Header 3 andHeader 4, and Header 1 and Header 2 constitute a first half header usedas header sections of the land sectors and Header 3 and Header 4constitute a second half header section used as header sections of thegroove sectors.

Further description will be continued in a concrete manner. For arecording section R6 of a groove sector # (n) whose address is indicatedby a sector number # (n), a second half-header section H2, which isprovided at a head portion of the recording section R6 with a mirrorsection being inserted therebetween, is used as a header section of thesector. In this case, the second half header section H2 comprises Header3 and Header 4 in which address information of the sector number # (n)is recorded. The second half header section H2 is shifted by a half of atrack pitch toward the inner side relatively to a position where therecording section R6 of the groove sector # (n) is formed, that is thesecond half header section H2 is parallel-translated sideways fordisplacement.

For a recording section R2 of a land sector # (n+N) whose address isindicated by a sector number # (n+N), a first half header section H1,which is provided at a forward position of the recording section R2 withnot only a mirror section but in addition a space corresponding to thesecond header section H2 inserted therebetween, is used as a headersection of the sector. In this case, the first half header section H1comprises Header 1 and Header 2, in which address information of thesector number # (n+N) is recorded. The first half header section H1 isformed at a position which is shifted by a half of a track pitch towardthe inner side relatively to a position where the recording section R2of the land sector # (n+N) is located.

In this case, the recording section R2 of the land sector # (n+N) isformed in an adjacent manner to the recording section R6 of the groovesector # (n). That is, the recording section R2 of the land sector #(n+N) is formed at a position shifted toward the outer side relativelyto the recording section R6 of the groove sector # (n) by one trackpitch. Thus, the first header section H1 is formed at a position shiftedtoward the outer side relatively to the second half header section H2 byone track pitch. The first half header section H1 and the second halfheader section H2 are fabricated in a continuous manner by cuttingdescribed later and Header 2 in the first half header section H1 andHeader 3 in the second header section H2 are located in an adjacentmanner. With such a configuration, the first half header section H1 andthe second header section H2 constitute a zig-zag shift headerstructure.

A sector whose address is indicated by a sector number one less than thesector number # (n) for the recording section R6 in the groove sector #(n) is a groove sector # (n−1), which is different from the case of thefirst sector. A recording section R5 of the groove sector # (n−1) isfabricated on the same track as the recording section R6 of the groovesector # (n) with a space occupied by the first half header section H1interposing between the recording section R5 and the head portion of thesecond half header section H2 which is a header section of the groovesector # (n). In a similar manner, a sector whose address is indicatedby an address number one less than the sector number # (n+N) for therecording section R2 in the land sector # (n+N) is a land sector #(n+N−1). A recording sector R1 of the land sector # (n+N−1) isfabricated on the same track as the recording section R2 in the landsector # (n+N) in an adjacent manner to the head portion of the firsthalf header section H1 which is a header section of the land sector #(n+N).

Fabrication of a recording/reproducing optical disk having the structuredescribed above will be described.

When an optical disk is fabricated, a master disk having arecess/protrusion profile corresponding to a groove and a pit is firstof all fabricated by a method called cutting. The recess/protrusionprofile formed on the master disk is transferred to a stamper and withuse of the stamper as a die, a resin molding transferred with theprofile is fabricated. This resin molding is used as a substrate for anoptical disk and a recording film such as a phase change type film isformed on a profiled surface of the substrate by a method such as avapor deposition method or the like. Then, a protective film forprotecting the recording film is formed by a method such as coating orthe like. In such a manner, fabrication of an optical disk on which agroove and a pit are formed is conducted. It is also possible tofabricate a bonding type optical disk by bonding the above describedoptical disks with each other with an intermediate layer made of amaterial similar to the protective layer.

In FIG. 20, shown is a master disk recording apparatus for recording arecess and protrusion profile corresponding to a groove and a pit on amaster disk by cutting.

In the master disk recording apparatus, laser light (for example, Arlaser or Kr laser light) emitted from a laser light source 41 isprojected into a laser optical axis control system 42 adjusting anoptical axis to cope with a change in optical axis caused by a change intemperature of laser light or the like. The laser light is reflected ona mirror 43 and modulated in a beam modulation system 44 comprising E·Omodulators 44 a, 44 b controlled by a format circuit 49 into laser lighthaving an arbitrary signal. At this point, the laser light can bemodulated into a predetermined format signal. The format circuit 49controls the beam modulation system 44 so that the laser light ismodulated in accordance with a cutting action described later. Then, thelaser light is adjusted in its beam diameter and sectional shape bypassing a beam adjustment system 45 composed of a pin hole and a slit.Adjustment of the laser light is finished in the process described aboveand a beam shape can be confirmed with a beam monitoring system 46.

The laser light is further guided by a mirror 47 and converged forillumination on an optical recording master disk 40 by an objective lens48. As the optical recording master disk 40, for example, a glass diskis used. A photoresist is coated on the glass disk and the surface ofthe photoresist is illuminated with the laser light. An opticallyactivated portion produces a recess type profile by etching. A desiredsurface profile formed by the laser light illumination is thus obtainedand a groove and a format pattern are recorded. Thus processed the glassdisk is used as a master disk, which is utilized to fabricate a stamper.

In cutting, the glass disk 40 is rotated by a rotating means 39, forexample, a motor or the like at a predetermined speed. An optical pickupfor illuminating a predetermined position on the glass disk 40 with thelaser light is moved at a constant speed along a direction from theinner side to outer side. In cutting, the optical pickup is moved at anequal speed in terms of a rate of one track pitch per one rotation ofthe disk and an illuminating position of the laser light is moved alongthe optical pickup. With the moving optical pickup, a portion on whichlaser light is applied is processed to a groove and a portion to whichlaser light is not applied is left unprocessed as a land. In a headersection, laser light is turned on and off to produce a pit in the shapeof a recess/protrusion profile.

A cutting action in an embodiment of the present invention will bedescribed in reference to FIGS. 19A and 19B.

In FIG. 19A, it is assumed that a cutting processing for the recordingsection RF1 in the land sector # (m−1) whose address is indicated by theselector number # (m−1) is finished at a time t0. As described above, ina land area such as the recording section RF1 in the land sector #(m−1), laser light from the optical pickup is not projected on the areaand a laser light illuminating position is only traveled. The travelingof the laser light illuminating position is achieved by a combination ofrotation of an optical disk, movement of the light pickup and driving ofan objective lens mounted to the light pickup.

After processing on the recording section RF1 in the land sector # (m−1)is finished at the time t0, the laser light illuminating position is insuccession shifted toward the outer side by a half of a track pitch fromthe center of the track of the recording RF1 in the land sector # (m−1).At thus shifted track position, Header 1 and Header 2 whose sectornumber is assigned as # (m+N), that is the first half header section HF1is recorded. At this point, the laser light radiated from the lightpickup is turned on and off so that a pit is formed in a correspondingmanner to information expressing a sector number. Header 1 in the firsthalf header HF1 is recorded in an adjacent manner to the recordingsection RF1 in the land sector # (m−1). After the recording of Header 1,Header 2 in the first half section HF1 is recorded in succession toHeader 1.

After record-cutting for Header 1 and Header 2 whose sector number isassigned as # (m+N), that is the first half header section HF1 isfinished, the laser light illuminating position is in succession shiftedtoward the inner side by a half of a track pitch from the center of thetrack of Header 1 and Header 2. That is, the laser light illuminatingposition is shifted toward the inner side by a half of a track pitchfrom the center of the track of the recording section RF1 in the landsector # (m−1). Header 3 and Header 4 whose sector number is # (m), thatis the second half header section HF2 are recorded at the track positionof such a shift. At this point, the laser light is turned on and off sothat a pit corresponding to information expressing the sector number isformed. Header 3 in the second half header section HF2 is recorded in anadjacent manner to Header 2 in the first half header section HF1. Afterthe recording of Header 3, Header 4 in the second half header sectionHF2 is continuously recorded following Header 3.

After cutting for Header 3 and Header 4, whose sector number is # (m),that is the second half section HF2 are finished, cutting for recordingis subsequently conducted for the recording section RF5 in the groovesector # (m) following the mirror section therebetween. At this point,laser light is not applied on the mirror section. The laser lightilluminating position is shifted toward the outer side by a half of atrack pitch from the center of the track of Header 3 and Header 4 withthe sector number # (m). That is, the laser light illuminating positionis shifted to not only the same track position as the track center ofthe recording section RF1 in the land sector # (m−1) but also to a trackposition shifted toward the inner side by a half of a track pitch fromthe track center of Header 1 and Header 2 with the sector number #(m+N).

Cutting for recording is conducted for the recording section RF5 in thegroove sector # (m) at thus shifted track position. In the recordingsection RF 5 in the groove sector #(m), laser light is applied and agroove is formed by etching of a photoresist. At this point, a laserlight spot is subjected to for example, a sine wave oscillation in a 186channel bit period along a direction from the inner side to the outerside, that is along a radial direction of the disk to fabricate a groovein the form of a wave. A signal component obtained from the groove inthe form of the wave is utilized as a reference signal for generation ofa clock in a data write operation (that is, when information is recordedon a recording/reproducing optical disk).

In the one round of a track from the sector number # (m) to the sectornumber # (m+N−1), all the sectors are groove sectors. In the groovesectors, the cutting for recording is conducted by predeterminedprocedures described below. Except for a first sector, the cutting willbe described in reference to FIG. 19B.

In FIG. 19B, it is assumed that a cutting processing for the recordingsection R5 in the groove sector # (n−1), whose address is indicated bythe selector number # (n−1), is finished at a time t1. After processingon the recording section R5 in the groove sector # (n−1) is finished,the laser light illuminating position is in succession shifted towardthe outer side by a half of a track pitch from the track center of therecording section R5 in the groove sector # (n−1). Header 1 and Header 2whose selector number is # (n+N), that is the first half header sectionH1 are recorded at the track position of such a shift. At this point,the laser light radiating from the optical pickup is turned on and offso that a pit is formed in a corresponding manner to informationexpressing a selector number. Header 1 in the first half header sectionH1 is recorded in an adjacent manner to the recording sector R5 in theland sector # (n−1). After the recording of Header 1 is finished, Header2 in the first half header section H1 is recorded in succession toHeader 1.

When cutting for recording of Header 1 and Header 2 with the sectornumber # (n+N), that is the first half header section H1 is finished,the laser light illuminating position is subsequently shifted toward theinner side by a half of a track pitch from the track center of Header 1and Header 2. That is, the laser light illuminating position is shiftedtoward the inner side by a half of a track pitch from the track centerin the recording section R5 in the groove sector # (n−1). Header 3 andHeader 4 with the sector number # (n), that is the second half headersection H2 are recorded at the track position of such a shift. At thispoint, the laser light radiating from the optical pickup is turned onand off so that a pit corresponding to information expressing a sectornumber is formed. Header 3 in the second half section H2 is recorded inan adjacent manner to Header 2 in the first half header section H1.After recording for Header 3 is finished, Header 4 in the second halfheader section H2 is recorded in a successive manner to Header 3.

After cutting for recording of Header 3 and Header 4 with the sectornumber # (n), that is the second half header section H2 is finished,cutting for recording for the recording section R6 in the groove sector# (n) is subsequently conducted after the passage of a mirror section.At this point, laser light is not illuminated on the mirror section. Thelaser light illuminating position is shifted toward the outer side by ahalf of a track pitch from the track center of Header 3 and Header 4with the sector number # (n). That is, the laser light illuminatingposition is shifted to not only the same track position as the trackcenter of the recording section R5 in the groove sector # (n−1) but alsoto a track position shifted toward the inner side by a half of a trackpitch from the track center of Header 1 and Header 2 with the sectornumber # (n+N).

Cutting for recording is conducted for the recording section R6 in thegroove sector # (n) at the track position of such a shift. In therecording section R6 in the groove sector # (n), laser light is appliedand a groove is formed by etching of a photoresist. At this point, alaser light spot is subjected to for example, a sine wave oscillation ina 186 channel bit period along a direction from the inner side to theouter side, that is along a radial direction to fabricate a groove inthe form of a wave. A signal component obtained from the groove in theform of the wave is utilized as a reference signal for generation of aclock in a data write operation.

With repetition of the cutting actions from the groove sector # (n−1) tothe groove sector # (n) in a similar manner, what is achieved is thecutting for recording on the recording section RF5 in the groove sectorwith the sector number # (m) to the recording section RF6 in the groovesector with the sector number # (m+N−1), which is shown in FIG. 19A.

After the cutting for recording on the recording section RF5 in thegroove sector # (m) to the recording section RF6 in the groove sector #(m+N−1) is finished, cutting of the first sector shown in FIG. 19A isagain conducted. The first sector at this time is the land sector #(m+N) following the groove sector # (m+N−1). One round of a track of thesector number # (m+N) of the land sector # (m+N) to the sector number #(m+2N−1) consists entirely of land sectors. Therefore, in the one roundof a track from the land sector # (m+N) to the land sector # (m+2N−1),laser light is not turned on. Header sections of the land sections atthis time are already simultaneously formed in the cutting of groovesectors on the inner side by one track.

After the cutting processing on the land sector with the sector number #(m+N) to the land sector with the sector number # (m+2N−1) is over, afirst sector is again subjected to a cutting processing. The firstsector at this time is the groove sector # (m+2N) following the landsector # (m+2N−1). Sectors following the groove sector # (m+2N) are cutin a similar manner to the cutting conducted on and from the groovesectors # (m). With repetition of the cutting action, sectors havingheader sections of a structure shown in FIG. 19A can be fabricated.

If the cutting for recording described above is conducted, a headersection in a groove sector, that is the second half header sectioncomprising Header 3 and Header 4 and a recording section in a groovesector with the same sector number as the sector number of the headersection are cut for recording in a continuous manner. For example, thesecond half header section HF2 comprising Header 3 and Header 4 with thesector number # (m) and the recording section RF5 in the groove sector #(m) are continuously cut.

However, a header section in a land sector, that is the first halfheader section comprising Header 1 and Header 2, and a recording sectionin a land sector with the same sector number as the sector number forthe header section are not cut for recording in a continuous manner butrecorded on different tracks by one round of track. For example, thefirst half header section HF1 comprising Header 1 and Header 2 with thesector number # (m+N) and the recording section RF2 in the land sector #(m+N) are recorded in different tracks by one round of track. Therefore,if there is a difference between one period of rotation of a disk andone period of a recording signal including N sectors, cutting forrecording is conducted with a discrepancy arising between a headersection in a land sector and a recording section in a land sector whosesector number is shown by the header section.

Described will be a sector format according to an embodiment of theinvention of the present application which enables a header section tobe detected with high reliability even when recording/reproduction ofinformation is conducted on an optical disk fabricated by the cuttingfor recording with such a discrepancy in a header section.

FIG. 21A shows the entire structure of a sector according to anembodiment of the present invention. FIG. 21B shows a header section ofthe sector in a more detailed manner.

In FIG. 21A, the total byte number of a sector is 2697 bytes, whichcomprises: Header field of 128 bytes (hereinafter referred to as headersection); Mirror field of 2 bytes (hereinafter referred to as mirrorsection); Recording field of 2567 bytes (hereinafter referred to asrecording section). The header section, mirror section and recordingsection correspond in description to FIGS. 19A and 19B.

The header and mirror sections are portions in which recording has beenconducted as a recess/protrusion profile before shipment of an opticaldisk. Preformat is an operation in which recording according to apredetermined format is conducted as a recess/protrusion profile beforeshipment.

A recording section is a portion where information discernible based onaddress information shown by a corresponding header section is recordedaccording to a predetermined format by a user of an optical disk aftershipment of the optical disk. The recording section is fabricated onlyin the form of a groove or land when the preformat is conducted.

Recording of information on a recording section, for example, in thecase where an optical disk is of a phase change type, is carried out byirradiation with laser light which is modulated in a correspondingmanner to record information on a recording film of a phase change typeprovided in the recording section; and forming areas in a crystallinestate or in an amorphous state on the recording film of a phase changetype by modulation of the laser light. The user of the optical diskreproduces the information by utilizing a difference in reflectancebased on a change in optical property between crystalline and amorphousstates of the recording film in the recording section.

The recording section is recorded by a format comprising: a gap section(Gap field) of (10+J/16) bytes; a guard 1 section (Guard 1 field) of(20+K) bytes; a VFO 3 section (VFO 3 field) of 35 bytes; apre-synchronous section (PS field) of 3 bytes; a data section (Datafield) of 2418 bytes; a PA 3 section (PA 3 field) of 1 byte; a guard 2section (Guard 2 field) of (55−K) bytes; and a buffer section (Bufferfield) of (25−J/16) bytes, wherein J is an integer in the range of 0 to15, K is an integer in the range of 0 to 7 and both assume randomvalues.

FIG. 21B shows the content of a header section in a sector format of anoptical disk according to an embodiment of the invention of the presentapplication. The header section comprises: Header 1 field; Header 2field; Header 3 field; and Header 4 field. These indicate the same asHeader 1; Header 2; Header 3; and Header 4 described in reference toFIGS. 19A and 19B. These are hereinafter respectively referred to asHeader 1; Header 2; Header 3; and Header 4. Lengths for Headers are: 46bytes for Header 1; 18 bytes for Header 2; 46 bytes for Header 3; and 18bytes for Header 4, and the total length of the header section is 128bytes.

Each of Header 1, Header 2, Header 3 and Header 4 comprises: a VFOsection; a AM section; a PID section; an IED section; and a PA section.The structure will be described below.

A VFO is an abbreviation of Voltage Frequency Oscillator and an area forenabling PLL (Phase Locked Loop) to function in a proper manner. Thatis, the VFO section comprises continuously repeated data patterns, whichpatterns are read by an optical disk apparatus described later whichperforms information recording/reproducing on an optical disk, fromwhich a synchronization signal (clock signal), which is used for dataread, rotational speed control of an optical disk and the like, isextracted to a PLL circuit incorporated in the optical disk apparatus.The data patterns are in a continuous manner repeated to lock PLL intoestablishment of perfect synchronization. If PLL is locked in a datapattern to establish perfect synchronization and produce a clock signal,data reading, disk rotational speed control and the like can be realizedwith certainty since a code pattern of the VFO is changed along with achange in rotation of an optical disk. 4

A VFO section has a length of 36 bytes as a VFO1 in each of Header 1 andHeader 3 and on the other hand, a length of 8 bytes as VFO2 in each ofHeader 2 and Header 4. That is, as described above, a first half headercomprises Header 1 and Header 2, which is used as a header section for aland sector; and a VFO section of Header 1, which is a head portion inthe first half header section, is set to be longer than a VFO section ofHeader 2 on which laser light is applied after irradiation on Header 1.In a similar manner, a second half header section comprises Header 3 andHeader 4, which is used as a header section of a groove sector and a VFOsection of Header 3, which is a head portion in the second half headersection, is set to be longer than a VFO section of Header 4 on whichlaser light is irradiated after irradiation on Header 3. A VFO sectionof each sector has at least a length of 8 bytes and PLL can usuallyfunction in a proper manner with use of such a length.

Since the VFO section of Header 1 and the VFO a section of Header 3which correspond to head portions of the sectors are set to be bothlonger than the VFO section of Header 2 and the VFO section of Header 4which are not the head portions, PLL can function with more certaintywith the help of the VFO sections. Therefore, detection of each of theheader sections can be conducted with high reliability, wherebyinformation recording/reproducing can be achieved with more precision.

Among them, it is especially effective in informationrecording/reproducing on an optical disk which is fabricated with adiscrepancy in the header section of a land sectors, that the VFOsection of Header 1 which is a head portion of a land sector is longer.

That is, in the case of a land sector, there is a time difference of oneround of track between cutting for a header section and cutting for arecording section in the land sector whose sector number is shown by theheader section. In such a condition, if there arises a differencebetween one period of rotation of a disk and a period of the recordingsignal covering N sectors, cutting for recording is conducted with adiscrepancy between the header section in the land sector and therecording section in the land sector whose sector number is shown by theheader section. If such a discrepancy arises between the header sectionand the recording section, it is harder to detect the header sectionthan in a normal condition without such a discrepancy. Besides, if thereis an offset in tracking in addition to the discrepancy of the headersection, a difference in quality of reproductive signal between theheader section of a land sector and the recording section of the landsector whose sector number is indicated by the header section makesdetection of the header section even more difficult.

Even in such a case, since a VFO section of Header 1 which is a headportion of a land sector is designed to be longer, a function of PLL canbe exerted with high reliability, which makes precision in headerdetection higher, so that a header section can be detected withprecision and certainty.

AM is an abbreviation of Address Mark, is a synchronous code having alength of 3 bytes and is used for judging a word boundary indemodulation. PID is an abbreviation of Physical ID and comprises sectorinformation having a length of 1 byte and a sector number having alength of 3 bytes. IED is an abbreviation of ID Error Detection code anda code having a length of 2 bytes for error detection of PID 4 bytes. PAis an abbreviation of Post Amble and a code having a length of 1 bytewhich is necessary to establish a state of previous bytes indemodulation.

Description will be given of the case where an emboss section of arecording/reproducing optical disk having headers of such a structuredescribed above, that is a header section, which is constructed from apit having a recess/protrusion profile, is read in an informationrecording/reproduction process.

FIG. 22 is a block diagram showing the overall structure of an opticaldisk apparatus used for information recording/reproducing on arecording/reproducing optical disk.

In FIG. 22, a recording/reproducing optical disk 1 which is aninformation recording medium in the shape of a circular plate is rotatedby a spindle motor 3, for example, at a constant linear speed. Thespindle motor 3 is controlled by a motor control circuit 4. Informationrecording/reproducing on the optical disk 1 is conducted by an opticalpickup 5. The optical pickup 5 is fixed to a driving coil 7 constitutinga moving section of a linear motor 6 and the driving coil 7 is connectedto a linear motor control circuit 8.

A speed detector circuit 9 is connected to the linear motor controlcircuit 8 and a speed signal of the optical pickup 5 detected by thespeed detector circuit 9 is transmitted to the linear motor controlcircuit 8. A stationary section of the linear motor 7 is provided with apermanent magnet not shown and the driving coil 7 is excited by thelinear motor control circuit 8, whereby the optical pickup 5 is movedalong a radial direction of the optical disk 1.

The optical pickup 5 is provided with an objective lens 10 supported bya wire or a leaf spring not shown. The objective lens 10 can be movedalong not only a focusing direction (an optical axis direction of thelens) by driving of a driving coil 11 but a tracking direction (adirection orthogonally intersecting an optical axis of the lens) bydriving of a driving coil 12.

A laser light beam is emitted from a semiconductor laser oscillator 9under driving control of a laser control circuit 13. The laser controlcircuit 13 comprises a modulation circuit 14 and a laser driving circuit15 and is operated in synchronization with a recording clock signalsupplied from a PLL circuit 16. The modulation circuit 14 modulates arecording data supplied from an error correction circuit 32 into asignal suitable for recording, for example an 8-16 conversion data. Thelaser driving circuit 15 drives the semiconductor laser oscillator (oran Ar/Ne laser oscillator) 19 according to the 8-16 conversion data fromthe modulation circuit 14.

The PLL circuit 16 divides a master frequency generated by a crystaloscillator into a frequency corresponding to recording positions on theoptical disk 1 in a recording process, thereby generates not only arecording clock signal but a reproducing clock signal corresponding to areproduced synchronous code in a reproducing process, and furtherdetects abnormality in frequency of the reproducing clock signal. Thedetection of frequency abnormality is performed by judging whether ornot a frequency of the reproducing clock signal falls in the range of apredetermined frequency corresponding to a recording position on theoptical disk 1 from which a data is reproduced. The PLL circuit 16outputs a recording or reproducing clock signal in a selective manneraccording to a control signal from CPU 30 and a signal from abinarization circuit 41 in the data reproducing circuit 18.

A laser beam emitted from the semiconductor oscillator 19 is guidedthrough a collimator lens 20, a half prism 21 and an objective lens 10and finally directed on the optical disk. Reflecting light from theoptical disk 1 is guided through an objective lens 10, a half prism 21,a collective lens 22 and a cylindrical lens 23 then to a photodetector24.

The photodetector 24 is constructed from light detecting cells 24 a, 24b, 24 c and 24 d, wherein the photodetector 24 is divided in four ways.Among them, output signals from the light detecting cells 24 a, 24 b, 24c, 24 d are respectively supplied through amplifiers 25 a, 25 b, 25 c,25 d to a terminal of an adder 26 a, a terminal of an adder 26 b, theother terminal of the adder 26 a and the other terminal of the adder 26b.

Output signals from the light detecting cells 24 a, 24 b, 24 c, 24 d arerespectively supplied through amplifiers 25 a, 25 b, 25 c, 25 d to aterminal of an adder 26 c, a terminal of an adder 26 d, the otherterminal of the adder 26 d and the other terminal of the adder 26 c.

An output signal of the adder 26 a is supplied to the inversion inputterminal of a differential amplifier OP2 and an output signal of theadder 26 b is supplied to the non-inversion input terminal of thedifferential amplifier OP2. The differential amplifier OP2 outputs asignal relating to a focal point in accordance with a difference betweenoutput signals of the adders 26 a, 26 b. The output is supplied to afocusing control circuit 27. An output signal of the focusing controlcircuit 27 is supplied to a focusing driving coil 12. Thereby, the laserlight is controlled on the optical disk to be always in a just focusingcondition.

An output signal of the adder 26 c is supplied to the inversion inputterminal of a differential amplifier OP1 and an output signal of theadder 26 d is supplied to the non-inversion terminal of the differentialamplifier OP1. The differential amplifier OP1 outputs a track differencesignal according to a difference between the signals of the adders 26 c,26 d. The output is supplied to a tracking control circuit 28. Thetracking control circuit 28 generates a track driving signal accordingto the track difference signal from the differential amplifier OP1.

The track driving signal output from the tracking control circuit 28 issupplied to a driving coil 11 in a tracking direction. Moreover, thetrack difference signal used in the tracking control circuit 28 issupplied to the linear motor control circuit 8.

With application of the above described focusing control and trackingcontrol, a change in a reflectance on a pit or the like formed in acorresponding manner to recording information on a track of the opticaldisk 1 is reflected on a sum signal of output signals of the lightdetecting cells 24 a to 24 d of the photodetector 24, that is an outputsignal of the adder 26 e which is the sum of outputs of the adders 26 c,26 d. The sum signal is supplied to the data reproducing circuit 18. Thedata reproducing circuit 18 reproduces a recorded data based on areproducing clock signal from the PLL circuit 16.

The data reproducing circuit 18 not only detects a sector mark in apreformat data based on an output signal of the adder 26 e and areproducing clock signal from the PLL circuit 16, but also reproduces atrack number and a sector number as address information from a binarizedsignal supplied from the PLL circuit 16 based on the binarized signaland the reproducing clock signal from the PLL circuit 16.

A reproduced data of the data reproducing circuit 18 is supplied to anerror correction circuit 32 through a bus 29. The error correctioncircuit 32 corrects an error by use of an error correcting code (ECC) inthe reproduced data or outputs a recording data supplied from aninterface circuit 35 with an error correcting code (ECC) added theretoto a memory 2.

A reproduced data error-corrected in the error correction circuit 32 issupplied to a recording medium control device 36 as an external devicethrough a bus 29 and the interface circuit 35. A recording datagenerated from the recording medium control device 36 is supplied to theerror correction circuit 32 through the interface circuit 35 and the bus29.

When the objective lens 10 is moved by the tracking control circuit 28,the linear motor 6, that is the optical pickup 5, is moved by the linearmotor control circuit 8 so that the objective lens 10 is located at aposition in the vicinity of the center of the optical pickup 5.

A D/A converter 31 is used for information receiving/supplying betweenthe focusing control circuit 27, the tracking control circuit 28, thelinear motor control circuit 8 and the CPU 30 controlling the wholesystem of the optical disk apparatus.

The CPU 30 controls the motor control circuit 4, the linear motorcontrol circuit 8, the laser control circuit 15, the PLL circuit 16, thedata reproducing circuit 18, the focusing control circuit 27, thetracking control circuit 28, the error correction circuit 32 and thelike through the bus 29. The CPU 30 conducts a predetermined operationaccording to a program stored in the memory 2.

Next described will be reading a header section preformatted on arecording/reproducing optical disk according to the invention of thepresent application when information recording/reproducing is conductedon the optical disk by the optical disk apparatus having the structuredescribed above in reference to FIG. 19A.

In FIG. 19A, in the case where a header section to be read as a targetis, for example, the header section HF2 in the groove sector indicatedby the sector number # (m), laser illumination on the recording sectionRF1 in the land sector indicated by the sector number # (m−1) isconducted ahead of reading on the header section HF2. The laser lightspot directed to the recording section RF1 is moved so as to trace thetrack center of the recording section RF1. The tracing of the laserlight spot is performed by tracking control in the optical diskapparatus which is already described in reference to FIG. 22.

The laser light directed to the recording section RF1 in the land sectorindicated by the sector number # (m−1) while tracing the track center issubsequently directed to the header sections HF1 and HF2 recorded on theoptical disk 1.

As described above, the header sections HF1 and HF2 comprise data of alength of 128 bytes in total. Here, if one byte has a physical length ofabout 3 μm, the header sections HF1 and HF2 have the total length ofabout 400 μm. If laser light illumination is conducted on the opticaldisk at a linear speed of about 6 m/s, the laser light spot passes fromthe header section HF1 to the header section HF2 in about 67 μs.

The light spot cannot follow the header sections which repreatedlyalternate sideways in a zig-zag shifted manner as shown in FIG. 19Asince a zone area of the tracking control system is sufficiently small.Therefore, it may be considered that the light spot traces an imaginarytrack center. While the imaginary track center is different from theactual track center of the header sections HF1 and HF2, data such asaddress information and the like preformatted in the headers HF1 and HF2can sufficiently be read. After the reading of the headers HF1 and HF2is finished and the mirror section is passed by, laser light radiatedfrom the optical pickup is applied to the recording section RF5indicated by the selector number # (m) while following the imaginarytrack center.

In this case, the recording section in a sector which is illuminatedwith laser light after illumination on the headers HF1 and HF2 is therecording section RF5 in the groove sector. The header section used in agroove sector, as described above, is the second half header sectioncomprising Header 3 and Header 4, and the header HF2 is a second halfsection in the header sections HF1 and HF2 which are read in advance.Therefore, the second header section HF2 is used as a header section ofthe recording section RF5 and address information of the recordingsection RF5 is indicated by the second half header section HF2.

As described above, header sections disposed in a zig-zag shifted mannerare formed on an optical disk pertaining to the invention of the presentapplication. Header sections disposed in a zig-zag shifted manner and astructure in the neighborhood of the header sections are shown in FIG.23 as a model. In FIG. 23, the inner side of an optical disk and theouter side thereof are shown by white arrows at the top and bottom ofthe figure. Therefore, the direction from top to bottom or vice versacorrespons to a redial direction of an optical disk.

In FIG. 23, the case where sector addresses are in the range of 30000 hto 30133 h is shown. The letter h following these numbers representsthat the numbers are in hexadecimal notation. In FIG. 23, recordingssections are shown in hexadecimal notation and header sections are not.

In addition, in recording sections of sectors, the sectors in whichsector addresses are respectively indicated by 30000 h, 30001 h, 30010h, 30022 h, 30023 h are shown as groove sectors. The sectors in whichsector addresses are indicated by 30011 h, 30012 h, 30021 h, 30033 h,30034 h . . . are shown as land sectors.

In this case, a header section indicated by a number and a recordingsection with the same number as that indicating the header section plusthe letter h following the number in a combined manner constitute onesector as a pair. In the figure, if a header section indicated by thenumber 30000 is described as (30000 h) header section and the recordingsection in a groove sector indicated by 30000 h is described as (30000h) groove sector recording section, for example, the (30000 h) headersection and the (30000 h) groove recording section constitute one sectoras a pair. In this case, in the (30000 h) header section, sectorinformation of the sector address 30000 h is recorded in a preformat anda user records information indicated by the sector address 30000 h inthe (30000 h) groove sector recording section.

In FIG. 23, the same structure of a header section as that described inreference to FIG. 19A is shown as a model. In an optical disk comprisingheader sections formed in the structure shown in FIG. 23, a trackingpolarity is alternately switched in a radial direction in a manner suchas in the order of land/grove/land/groove, each corresponding to onetrack round, without any track jump when a track is traced in a spiralmanner as described in FIG. 19A.

In the case of FIG. 23, the number of sectors in one track round isshown as 17 (11 h in the hexadecimal notation) and when a track istraced in one more round, the number of sector addresses on a trackadjacent toward the outer side has an increment of 17. For example,sectors adjacent, toward the outer side, to other sectors whose numberof sector addresses is 30000 h have 30011 h as the number of sectoraddresses.

In FIG. 23, the sectors indicated by 30000 h, 30011 h, 30022 h, 30033 h. . . as sector addresses are those at positions where a trackingpolarity is converted and the first sections described above. Thesectors indicated by 30010 h, 30021 h, 30032 h, 30043 h . . . as sectoraddresses and in addition, the sectors indicated by 30001 h, 30012 h,30023 h, 30034 h . . . as sector addresses are sectors other than thefirst sectors.

In a system in which groove sectors and land sectors are alternatelyconverted in a radial direction with one track round, as a unit asdescribed above, a polarity of grooves or lands needs to be converted intracking and sectors located at positions of polarity conversion need tohave a different header configuration than the other sectors.

For example, the first header section for the (30000 h) groove sectorrecording section is recorded with the address number of 30011 h inpreformat and the second header section therefor is recorded with theaddress number of 30000 h in preformat. Since the (30000 h) groovesector recording section is of a groove type, the address number of30000 h recorded in the second half header section is the sectoraddress.

On the other hand, the first half header section for, example, the(30011 h) land sector recording section is in advance recorded with theaddress number of 300011 h in preformat and the second half headersection therefor is in advance recorded with the address number of 30022h in preformat. Since the (30011 h) land sector recording section is ofa land type, the address number 300011 h recorded in the first halfheader is the sector address.

Positional relations of such a zig-zag shift header configuration willbe described in the case of a groove sector. There is a positionalrelation that a first half header section is wobbled to the outer sidebut a second half header section is wobbled to the inner side. That is,settings are such that the first half header section is shifted towardthe outer side of an optical disk relatively to a track position of thegroove sector by a half of a track pitch and the second half headersection is shifted toward the inner side of the optical disk by a halfof the track pitch. On the other hand, in the case of a land sector, apositional relation of headers is opposite to that of a groove sectorand a first half header section is wobbled toward the inner side and asecond half header section is wobbled toward the outer side.

In a system in which groove sectors and land sectors are alternatelyconverted in a radial direction with one track round as a unit, apolarity of a groove or land needs to be converted from one to the otherin tracking. Timing of the conversion is determined depending on readinga header section. That is, the header section is read and a correctpolarity is selected by discerning whether the recording section is of aland type or of a groove type based on information obtained from thereading before tracking in the recording section following the headersection gets started.

At this point, if the following recording section is discerned to be ofa land type based on information obtained from the header section, atracking polarity is selected to be of a land type and tracking in therecording section is then conducted. If, to the contrary, the followingrecording section is discerned to be of a groove type based oninformation from the header section, the tracking polarity is selectedto be of a groove type and tracking in the recording section is thenconducted.

Conversion of a tracking polarity is conducted when the laser lightilluminating position is located in the mirror section (Mirror Field)shown in FIG. 19A. When the position in the mirror section is specified,information obtained from the header section is also utilized. That is,if information can be read from any of Header 1, Header 2, Header 3 andHeader 4 which constitute a header section with precision, a position inthe mirror can be specified by calculating retroactively from thereading position.

For example, in the case where reading is conducted on Header 1 in anorderly manner, counting of the number of bits gets started at a timewhen the reading on Header 1 is finished. Since a sector format in theheader section is in advance determined as shown in FIG. 21A, the numberof bits which is counted to reach the mirror section starting at aposition where the reading on Header 1 is finished is determined inadvance. Therefore, when the predetermined number of bits is countedfrom the time when the reading on Header 1 is finished, it is assumedthat the mirror section is illuminated with the laser and conversion ofthe tracking polarity is conducted. After the polarity is converted to acorrect polarity in the mirror section, tracking in a land or grooverecording section gets started.

In the land/groove polarity conversion thus conducted, the abovementioned relation between the inner side wobbling and outer sidewobbling can be utilized for detection of timing in the conversion.Below described will be a way to detect timing in the land/grooveconversion by use of this relation between wobblings to the inner andouter sides.

Timing detection for the land/groove polarity conversion is conducted byuse of the photodetector 24 shown in FIG. 22. The photodetector 24 isconstructed from light detecting cells 24 a, 24 b, 24 c and 24 d, whichis a four way division. As already described, output signals of thelight detecting cell 24 a and the light detecting cell 24 b are summedin the adder 26 c and outputs signals of the light detecting cell 24 cand the light detecting cell 24 d are summed in the adder 26 d.

Output signal of the adder 26 c is supplied to the inversion inputterminal of the differential amplifier OP 1 and output signal of theadder 26 d is supplied to the non-inversion terminal of the differentialamplifier OP 1. The differential amplifier OP 1 outputs a trackdifference signal in accordance with a difference between the outputsignals of the adders 26 c, 26 d and the output is supplied to thetracking control circuit 28, whereby the track driving signal isgenerated in the tracking control circuit 28 in accordance with thetrack difference signal from the differential amplifier OP 1.

The track driving signal output from the tracking control circuit 28 issupplied to the driving coil 11 in the direction of tracking or thetrack difference signal used in the tracking control circuit 28 issupplied to the linear motor control circuit 8, and thereby trackingcontrol is conducted

One case is where the photodetector 24 is divided into two groups, thatis a first pair consisting of the light detecting cells 24 a, 24 b and asecond pair consisting of the light detecting cells 24 c, 24 d, whereinthe two pairs are divided in relation to a direction along a recordingtrack.

The following situation is considered. The first light detecting cellpair of the two pairs formed by division in two ways is located in acorresponding manner to the outer side of a recording track and anoutput signal from the first light detecting cell pair is indicated byA. The second light detecting cell pair of the two pairs formed bydivision in two ways is located in a corresponding manner to the innerside of the recording track and an output signal from the second lightdetecting cell pair is indicated by B.

When illumination by a light beam is conducted while tracing a track, ifthe light beam travels on a header section wobbled toward the outerside, an output of the signal A is increased but an output of the signalB is decreased. On the other hand, if the light beam travels on a headersection wobbled toward the inner side, an output of the signal B isincreased but an output of the signal A is decreased.

At this point, if a (A−B) signal, which is a difference between bothsignals is generated, (A−B)>0 in the header section wobbled toward theouter side and (A−B)<0 in the header section wobbled toward the innerside, and (A−B)=0 in the other situation. For simplicity, the conditionof (A−B)>0 is indicated by [+], the condition of (A−B)<0 is indicated by[−] and the condition of (A−B)=0 is indicated by [0].

If the (A−B) signal output which is output from such a photodetector 24is utilized, the (A−B) signal is changed from [+] to [−] prior toillumination of the light beam on the recording section of a groovesector when the light beam travels through the groove sector. Thischange is shown in a graph of FIG. 26A.

On the other hand, the (A−B) signal output is changed from [−] to [+]prior to illumination of the light beam on the recording section of aland sector when the light beam travels through the land sector. Thischange is shown in a graph of FIG. 26B. Therefore, it is possible that apolarity change of the (A−B) signal output is monitored by the trackingcontrol circuit with the help of the differential amplifier OP1interposing therebetween and detection of land or groove is performed byprocessing of the CPU 30, whereby timing in land/groove conversion inpolarity is detected.

That is, when the (A−B) signal output is changed from [+] to [−], it isdetected that a recording section to which the light beam is appliedafter the change is the recording section of a groove sector. If thegroove sector at this point is a groove sector in the first sector,control is performed so that a tracking polarity is converted from landto groove in order to have tracking control conducted in an orderlymanner.

In a similar manner, when the (A−B) signal output is changed from [−] to[+], it is detected that a recording section which the light beam isapplied after the change is the recording section of a land sector. Ifthe groove sector at this point is a land sector in a first sector,control is performed so that a tracking polarity is converted fromgroove to land in order to have tracking control conducted in an orderlymanner.

As seen from the description above, if a polarity change in the (A−B)signal output is utilized, timing detection in land/groove polarityconversion can be effected.

Described below is a method in which timing detection in the land/groovepolarity conversion is conducted by use of recording informationrecorded in preformat in the header on an optical disk, that is sectortype bits in the header.

Prior to the description, a header structure shown in FIG. 23 will bedescribed. It has already been described herein that with the numberingmethod for a sector address which is described in reference to FIG. 19A,disk cutting for recording of a single spiral structure can becontinuously performed from the inner side to the outer side in oneoperation on an optical disk with zig-zag shift headers as shown in FIG.23. Recording signals in the cutting are sequentially sent from a formatcircuit 49 in the master disk recording apparatus shown in FIG. 20 inthe following order and the beam modulation system 44 comprising the E·Omodulators 44 a, 44 b is thus controlled, whereby the cutting isconducted in accordance with the sector address numbering method.

The sending order of the recording signals is [(30011 h) headersection→(30000 h) header section→(30000 h) groove sector recordingsection→ . . . →(30021 h) header section→(30010 h) header section→(30010h) groove sector recording section→one round is blank→(30033 h) headersection→(30022 h) header section→(30022 h) groove sector recordingsection→ . . . ect.

The concrete content of the (30011 h) header section will be describedin reference to FIG. 21B. The header section is an emboss header inwhich not only 030011 h is recorded in the low order 3 bytes of PID 1section (4 bytes) of Header 1 but 030011 h is also recorded in the loworder 3 bytes of PID 2 section (4 bytes) of Header 2. The concretecontent of the (30000 h) header section is an emboss header in which notonly 030000 h is recorded in the low order 3 bytes of PID 3 section (4bytes) of Header 3 but 030000 h is also recorded in the low order 3bytes of PID 4 section (4 bytes) of Header 4.

A land/groove recording disk of a single spiral type cart be fabricatedby following the sector address numbering method. The disk has a seriesof sector addresses in a continuous manner wherein a first address isdirectly followed by a second address which is larger or smaller thanthe first address by 1 and the entire surface can be processed withoutany track jump or any seek in a continuous recording/reproducing mode.

However, as described above, in a land/groove recording disk of a singlespiral type, there is a need for tracking polarity conversion betweenany pair of adjacent track rounds. That is, in the (30010 h) groovesector recording section of FIG. 23, a tracking polarity is of a groovetype, but portions which are subsequently illuminated with a light beamare of a groove polarity for the (30011 h) header section and of a landpolarity for the (30011 h) land sector recording section in tracking.

Coversion in tracking polarity is conducted by a method in which sectortype bits in a header section is utilized, which is described below, inaddition to the above described method in which the conversion isconducted by use of a polarity of a (A−B) signal.

The contents of the PID sections of headers are shown in FIG. 21B andPID 1 section is provided in Header 1, PID 2 section is provided inHeader 2, PID 3 section is provided in Header 3 and PID 4 section isprovided in Header 4. Each PID section comprises information of 32 bits(4 bytes). The bits are respectively indicated by b 31 to b 0, wherein b31 is the highest order bit (MSB) and b 0 is the lowest order bit (LSB).

Eight bits (1 byte) from b 31 to b 24 of the bits from b 31 to b 0 whichconstitute a PID section are a portion where sector information, that isinformation on the sector is recorded. Twenty four bits (3 bytes) from b23 to b 0 are a sector number, that is a portion where information on asector address is recorded.

The content of sector information will be described below. The b 31 andb 30 are reserved bits and for example, they are temporarily recordedwith 00b and a are reserved for recording some kind of information inthe future. A letter b which follows 00 shows the number is of a binarynotation. The bits b 29 and b 28 show a physical ID number, and 00b isrecorded in the PID 1 section, 01b is recorded in the PID 2, 10b isrecorded in the PID 3 and 11b is recorded in the PID 4.

The bits b 27 to b 25 are a portion where a sector type is shown and asector for read only is recorded with 000b, a writable first sector isrecorded with 100b, the writable last sector is recorded with 101b, awritable sector ahead of the last sector by one sector is recorded with110b and a sector other than the above described is recorded with 111b,wherein sectors from 001b to 011b are reserved.

A sector for read only indicates a sector where a data section isfabricated by embossment actually like a read-in area portion. A firstsector is a sector where conversion in tracking polarity from land togroove or vice versa is performed. The last sector indicates, a sectorahead of the first sector by one sector.

Further description will be given with use of the example of FIG. 23.Sectors indicated with sector addresses 30000 h, 30011 h, 30022 h, 30033h, . . . are writable first sectors. Sectors indicated with sectoraddresses 30010 h, 30021 h, 30032 h, 30043 h, . . . are writable lastsectors. Besides, sectors indicated with sector addresses 3000F h, 30020h, 30031 h, 30042 h, . . . are writable sectors ahead of the last sectorby one sector.

Timing for a writable first sector that is required for trackingpolarity conversion can be generated from sector type bits which are aportion indicating a sector type. That is, a sector type is determinedby reading the PID section in a header and a tracking polarity is or isnot converted to the other based on a determined sector type. Even whenthe first sector is not detected, conversion timing is generated from alast sector ahead of the sector by one sector or a writable sector aheadof the last sector by one sector, which makes it possible to effectconversions of a tracking polarity.

In detection of a first section along with timing detection in trackingpolarity conversion, an IED section of 2 bytes is additionally providedas shown in FIG. 21B and thereby error detection can be effected.Therefore, a rewritable first sector can be detected with highreliability and tracking polarity conversion on a single spiral disk canbe realized in a stable manner.

If a PID section comprising PID 1 and PID 2 is grouped as a first halfPID section and a PID section comprising PID 3 and PID 4 is grouped as asecond half PID section and sector address values recorded in the firstand second PID sections are compared with each other, a result from thecomparison can be utilized for tracking polarity conversion.

That is, a first half header section for the (30000 h) groove sectorrecording section is the (30011 h) header section and a second halfheader section therefor is the (30000 h) header section. The (30011 h)header section of the first half header section is provided with thefirst half PID section in which the sector address 30011 h is recorded.The (30000 h) header section of the second half header section isprovided with the second half PID section in which the sector address30000 h is recorded.

The sector address 30011 h recorded in the first half PID section islarger in value than the sector address 30000 h recorded in the secondhalf PID section. This relation is effective for all the groove sectorshaving the structure shown in FIG. 23. Therefore, when a header sectionis illuminated with a light beam, sector addresses in the first half PIDsection and in the second half PID section are read and the sectoriaddress in the first half PID section is larger and, a recording sectionwhich is subsequently illuminated can be judged as the recording sectionof a groove sector, which in turn can be used for tracking polarityconversion.

A similarity can be met in the case of a land sector. For example, afirst half header section for the (30011 h) land sector recordingsection is the (30011 h) header section and a second half header sectiontherefor is the (30022 h) header section. The (30011 h) header sectionof the first half header section is provided with the first half PIDsection in which the sector address 30011 h is recorded. The (30022 h)header section of the second half header section is provided with thesecond half PID section in which the sector address 30022 h is recorded.

The sector address 30011 h recorded in the first half PID section issmaller in value than the sector address 30022 h recorded in the secondhalf PID section. This relation is effective for all the land sectorshaving the structure shown in FIG. 23. Therefore, when a header sectionis illuminated with a light beam, sector addresses in the first half PIDsection and in the second half PID section are read and the sectoraddress in the first half PID section is smaller, a recording sectionwhich is subsequently illuminated can be judged as the recording sectionof a land sector, which in turn can be used for tracking polarityconversion.

Described will be the case where, at this point, the above mentionedconversion of a tracking polarity is not performed in an orderly manner,or the conversion is intentionally not conducted, and an automatictrack-hold is effected in a track.

For example, in the first sector shown in FIG. 23, when tracing with alight beam is conducted from the (30021 h) land sector recording sectionto the (30022 h) groove sector recording section, the track center of aland track is traced normally with the spot of the light beam in the(30021 h) land sector recording section as described above. Tracing withthe light beam is conducted along the center line between headersections in a zig-zag shifted configuration comprising the (30033 h)header section and the (30022 h) header section. In the (30022 h) groovesector recording section, a tracking polarity is first switched fromland to groove and thereafter, the track center of a groove track istraced with the light beam spot.

At this point, if a tracking polarity cannot still be switched over fromland to groove after the light spot traveled through the header sectionsin a zig-zag shifted configuration, tracking control is effected so thatthe light beam spot traces any of the (30011 h) land sector recordingsection and the (30033 h) land sector recording section and a normaltrack follow-up condition can no longer be held. At this point, it isunforeseeable to which section the light spot is tracking-controlledsince there are various factors such as the eccentricity of the disk, atrack offset condition and the like.

Accordingly, when a light beam spot traces the track, intentionallyprovided is a track offset which has a magnitude of an order that doesnot deteriorate recording/reproducing characteristics. That is, a lightbeam spot traces track centers of a land track and a groove track with asmall deviation from a center toward the inner side of a disk when thelight beam spot traces the land tracks and the groove tracks in theshape of a spiral from the inner side to the outer side.

In such a situation, if a tracking polarity is not converted asdescribed above, tracking control is effected from the (30021 h) landsector recording section to the (30011 h) land sector recording sectionthrough the zig-zag shift headers. After the tracking control, the lightbeam begins to trace a land track of one round from the (30011 h) landsector recording section and returns back to the (30021 h) land sectorrecording section.

Therefore, if a small track offset with a magnitude of an order whichdoes not adversely affect the recording/reproducing characteristics isintentionally provided toward the inner side of the disk, the light beamspot can be made to trace while being held on the same track in thetracing order of 30011 h, 30012 h, 30020 h, 30021 h, 30011 h, . . . andwhen tracking polarity conversion is not conducted or even when trackingpolarity conversion is not satisfactorily conducted, a large deviationfrom a normal tracking control can be prevented.

In FIG. 23, an emboss data area is shown in a place, toward the innerside, spaced from the rewritable data area with the zig-zag shift headerconfiguration described above. The emboss data area is a data area forread only, and is not of a sector format having a rewritable zig-zagshift header configuration but data are recorded in the sector formatfor a read-only disk. In the emboss data area, data are recorded withembossment comprising pits in a recess/protrusion profile. A couplingarea comprising a mirror is provided in a space between the emboss dataarea and the rewritable data area.

In such an emboss area, for example, a reference signal, physical formatinformation, disk fabrication information, disk supplier information andthe like are recorded and the area is used as a read-in area which canbe read for information retrieval by a read-only player conventionallyused with such a provision, disk identification can be effected withease by a conventional read-only player even when information recordedin a sector format with zig-zag shift headers cannot be read out by theplayer.

It is preferred in an optical disk of a land/groove recording type witha zig-zag shift header section that a so-called zoned CLV format or aso-called zoned CAV format can be used to serve a double purpose.

That is, by adopting a single spiral structure having a zig-zag shiftheader section, information can be recorded on a land and in a groove,as described above, and recording capacity thereby is increased andaccess in a short time can be realized throughout the entire disksurface. On the other hand, a zoned CLV format or a zoned CAV format issuitable for high speed access since rotational speed control of aspindle motor can be simplified. Therefore, if the zoned CLV format orthe zoned CAV format is used in combination with a single spiralstructure having the above described zig-zag shift header section,further improvement on an access speed can be realized.

As shown in FIG. 24, for example, in a zoned CLV format, the surface ofan optical disk 1 is divided into a plurality of annular zones Z0, Z1, .. . , Z23. Information is recorded in the sector format of a singlespiral structure with a zig-zag shift header section in each dividedannular zone. A linear speed on the disk surface is controlled so as tobe kept at a constant value in each divided annular zone while changinga disk rotational speed. Since it is easy to conduct information readingat a near constant linear speed when disk rotation speed is controlledalmost at a constant value in each zone, high speed access can berealized.

However, when recording/reproducing are performed on an optical diskbetween zones in a bridging manner, a change in rotational speed of thespindle motor is needed. For example, if there is a sector whereinformation cannot be reproduced due to presence of a defect on arecording surface in a zone and no spare area (that is, alternate area)is available where information can be recorded, it is necessary, conductrecording/reproducing over adjacent zones on the disk and thereby tochange a rotational speed of the spindle motor.

A change in rotational speed of a motor requires a long time until arotational speed is stabilized and as a result, data access time islonger. A spare area is provided in each zone in order to eliminate sucha harmful effect. For example, in the 24 divided zones described above,that is in Z0, Z1, . . . , Z23, spare areas S0, S1, . . . , S23 areprovided along the outside of the periphery of each respective zone.

TABLE 1 Head Inner side sectors buffer area Data Zone Sectors numbersectors number Data area block Spare sector number number (HEX) (HEX)number (HEX) number number (HEX) 0 17 31600 — 31000 to 377DF 1662 377E0to 37D2F 1 18 37D60 37D60 to 37D8F 37090 to 3FB2F 2010 3FB30 to 401EF 219 40220 40220 to 4024F 40250 to 486EF 2122 486D0 to 48E0F 3 20 48E4048E40 to 48F6F 48E70 to 51ADF 2234 51A10 to 5218F 4 21 521C0 521C0 to521EF  52F0 to 5B48F 2346 5B490 to 5BC6F 5 22 58CA0 58CA0 to 58CCF 58CD0to 6566F 2458 65670 to 65EAF 6 23 65EE0 65E10 to 6540F 65F10 to 6FFAF2570 61FB0 to 7084F 7 24 70880 70880 to 708AF 708B0 to 7B04F 2882 78050to 7894F 8  5 78980 78980 to 7898F 789C0 to 8683F 2792 86840 to 8719F 926 871E0 871E0 to 8721F 87220 to 9279F 2904 927A0 to 9315F 10  27 931A0931Ao to 931DF 931E0 to 9EE5F 3016 9EE60 to 9F87F 11  28 9F8C0 9F8C0 to9F8FF 9F9D0 to ABC7F 3128 ABC80 to AC6FF 12  29 AC740 AC740 to AC77FAC780 to B91FF 3240 B9200 to B9CDF Number of sector Final Number ofQuantity of outer side sector LBA data area of Zone of spare buffer areanumber head head sector number sector (HEX) (HEX) sector (HEX) 0 136037D30 to 37D5F 37D5F    0 31000 1 1728 401F0 to 4021F 4021F  26592 377E02 1824 48E10 to 48E3F 48E3F  58752 3F580 3 1920 52190 to 5218F 521BF 92704 47A20 4 2016 5BC70 to 58C9F 58C9F 128448 505C0 5 2112 65EB0 to65EDF 65EDF 165984 59860 6 2208 70850 to 70871 7087F 205312 63200 7 23047B950 to 7B97F 7897F 246432 6D2A0 8 2400 871A0 to 871DF 871DF 28934477A40 9 2496 93160 to 9319F 9319F 334016 828C0 10  2592 9F880 to 9F88F9F8BF 380480 8DE40 11  2688 AC700 to AC73F AC73F 428736 99AC0 12  2784B9CE0 to B9D1F B9D1F 478784 A5E40 Head Inner side sectors buffer areaData Zone Sectors number sectors number Data area block Spare sectornumber number (HEX) (HEX) number (HEX) number number (HEX) 13  30 89D2089D20 to 89D5F B9D50 to C6EDF 3352 C6EE0 to C7A1F 14  31 C7A60 C7A60 toC7A91 C7AA0 to D531F 3464 D5320 to D5EBF 15  32 D5F00 D5F00 to D5F3FD5F40 to E3EBF 3576 E3EC0 to E4ABF 16  33 E4B00 E4B00 to E4B4F E4850 toF31AF 3686 F31B0 to F3E0F 17  34 F3E60 F3E60 to F3EAF F3E80 to 102C0F3798 102C10 to 1038CF 18  35 103920 103920 to 10396F 103970 to 112DCF3910 112DD0 to 113AEF 19  36 113B40 113B40 to 11398F 113890 to 1238EF4022 1236F0 to 12448F 20  37 1244C0 1244C0 to 12450F 124510 to 13478F4134 134770 to 13554F 21  38 1355A0 1355A0 to 1355EF 1355F0 to 145F4F4246 145F50 to 148D8F 22  39 146DE0 146DE0 to 146E2F 146E30 to 157E8F4358 157E90 to 158D2F 23  40 15BD80 158D80 to 158DCF 148DD0 to 16A57F4475 16A580 to 16B47F Total 76185  Number of sector Final Number ofQuantity of outer side sector LBA data area of Zone of spare buffer areanumber head head sector number sector (HEX) (HEX) sector (HEX) 13  2880C7A20 to C7ASF C7A5F 530624 B2OCO 14  2976 D5EC0 to D5EFF D5EFF 584256BFA4O 15  3072 E4AC0 to E4AFF E4AFF 639880 CD2CO 16  3168 F3E10 to F3E5FF3E5F 696896 DB240 17  3264 1038D0 to 10391F 10391F 755872 E98A0 18 3360 113AF0 to 113B3F 113B3F 816640 F8600 19  3458 124470 to 1244BF12448F 879200 107A60 20  3552 13550 to 13559F 13559F 943552 1175C0 21 3648 146D90 to 146D0F 148DDF 1009696 127820 22  3744 158D30 to 158D7F158D7F 1077632 138180 23  3840 — 16847F 1147360 1491E0 Total 65392

In Table 1, the zone numbers 0, 1, . . . , 23 corresponds to the zonesZ0, Z1, . . . , Z23 respectively and data for the zones are shown.

The number of sectors shows the number of sectors in one track round. Astart sector number shows the sector number of the start sector of azone, that is a representation of a sector address in the hexadecimalnotation. The sector number of an inner side buffer area shows thesector number of a buffer area provided in the inner side of each zone.A buffer area is an area provided at an interface between zones and nodata recording is conducted there. A data area sector number shows thesector number of an area where user data recording can be effected.Calculation of a disk capacity is to sum up data quantities of areas ofthis kind. The number of data blocks is expressed in the decimalnotation, and shows how many ECC blocks (16 physical sectors) can beincluded in the areas where the user data recording can be effected.

A spare sector number is the sector number of a spare sector, which isexpressed in the hexadecimal notation, and which are included in thespare area of a zone. As can be seen from Table 1, a sector with alarger sector number is located at an outer position in an optical diskand thus, the spare areas described above each are disposed in the outerside of a zone. The number of spare sectors each is the number of sparesectors expressed in the decimal notation.

The sector numbers of an outer side buffer area show sector numbers of abuffer area which are disposed on the outer side of a zone. The endsector numbers show the end sector number of a zone expressed in thehexadecimal notation. A LBA start sector number, which is expressed inthe decimal notation, shows the start number of a logic block address(that is, the sectors other than the buffer areas and the spare areasare numbered with a series of numbers wherein a first number is directlyfollowed by a second number which is larger or smaller than the firstnumber by 1). The data area number of a start sector shows a number,which is expressed in the hexadecimal notation, and which is offset froma LBA start sector number by 31000 h in the hexadecimal notation, thatis obtained by adding to the LBA start sector number with 200704 in thedecimal notation.

As described above, in the embodiments of the invention of the presentapplication, a spare area is provided for each zone and the switch-overcan be performed without any change in disk rotational speed, whereby ashorter time in data access can be realized. As a preferred example inregard to the data shown in Table 1, there is a structure that each zonecomprises 1888 tracks. In this case, no change in disk rotational speedis required in switch-over and all that is required is to conduct a seekover the maximum of 1888 tracks.

As described above, according to the present invention, the first halfheader section (HF1, HF3) and the second half header section (HF2, HF4)are spatially disposed alternately in a zig-zag shifted configuration asshown FIG. 19A and thereby at least the following advantages areachieved: 1) that reliability in reading is improved by providing amargin in distance between adjacent pits; 2) that speedy cutting isrealized by use of only one beam without use of a finer beam exclusivelyused for a header; and 3) that switch-over position between a land and agroove can be detected with ease. Thereby, a disk with high reliabilityin data recording/reproducing can further be provided. In addition,provided is a data recording/reproducing optical diskrecording/reproducing apparatus, in which data recording/reproducingwith precision and a high speed is effected on the optical disk.

Besides, the present invention has been described in various embodimentsand at least one of the aspects of the invention is to keep a productbetween a rotation number R and the number of sectors n in one track ineach of plurality of zones as a constant value C and thereby to supplydata at a constant transmission rate in a stable manner, so that thepresent invention can provide an optical disk which can effectrecording/reproducing data such as a animation or the like withoutaddition of any special circuitry thereto, a master disk manufacturingapparatus for the optical disk and an optical disk apparatus using theoptical disk.

Furthermore, recorded is emboss information exclusively used forspecific reading, which is limited information especially required forstable reading such as control information and the like, and withrecording on the emboss information, provided is an optical disk onwhich control data and the like can always be read with certainty.

Furthermore, since a change area is given to each of a land area and agroove area as described above, a recording/reproducing process isachieved with more certainty even when there is a disturbance inrecording in a primary recording area.

Moreover, with a configuration of the first half header section and thesecond half header section in a zig-zag shifted manner with a spacebetween the half sections, the following advantages are secured: 1) thatreliability in reading is improved by providing a margin in distancebetween adjacent pits; 2) that speedy cutting is realized by use of onlyone beam without use of a finer beam exclusively used for a header; and3) that converting position between a land and a groove can be detectedwith ease.

Additional advantages and modifications will readily occur to thoseskilled in the art. Therefore, the invention in its broader aspects isnot limited to the specific details and representative embodiments shownand described herein. Accordingly, various modifications may be madewithout departing from the spirit or scope of the general inventiveconcept as defined by the appended claims and their equivalents.

What is claimed is:
 1. an optical disk comprising: a first area in whichdata recording and reproducing can be effected based on a first format;and a second area in which data for recognizing said disk can only bereproduced based on a second format, wherein the first area includes afirst recording section in the shape of a land where recording andreproducing of data are conducted; a first half header section in whichaddress information corresponding to the first recording section isrecorded; a second recording section in the shape of a groove whererecording and reproducing of data are conducted; and a second halfheader section, in which address information corresponding to the secondrecording section is recorded, and which is disposed adjacent to thefirst half header section in a zig-zag shifted manner.
 2. An opticaldisk comprising: a first area in which data recording and reproducingcan be effected based on a first format; and a second area in which datafor recognizing said disk can only be reproduced based on a secondformat, wherein the first area includes an area in which data recordingand reproducing can be conducted having a first recording section in theshape of a land where recording and reproducing of data are conducted; afirst half header section in which address information corresponding tothe first recording section is recorded; a second recording section inthe shape of a groove where recording and reproducing of data areconducted; and a second half header section, in which addressinformation corresponding to the second recording section is recorded,and which is disposed adjacent to the first half header section in azig-zag shifted manner; and wherein the second area includes an areawhich has a structure different from the first area and in which datafor recognizing a disk can only be reproduced.
 3. An optical diskcomprising: a first area in which data recording and reproducing can beeffected based on a first format; and a second area in which data forrecognizing said disk can only be reproduced based on a second format,wherein the first area includes a rewritable area in which recording andreproducing of data can be conducted, said rewritable area having afirst recording section in the shape of a land where recording andreproducing of data are conducted; a first half header section in whichaddress information corresponding to the first recording section isrecorded; a second recording section in the shape of a groove whererecording and reproducing of data are conducted; and a second halfheader section, in which address information corresponding to the secondrecording section is recorded, and which is disposed adjacent to thefirst half header section in a zig-zag shifted manner; and wherein thesecond area includes an emboss data area, in which data is recorded in adifferent manner from the rewritable area, in which data is recorded byuse of embossment consisting of a pit having a recess/protrusionprofile, and in which data for recognizing a disk can only bereproduced.
 4. An optical disk comprising: a first area in which datarecording and reproducing can be effected based on a first format; and asecond area in which data for recognizing said disk can only bereproduced based on a second format, wherein the first area includes arewritable area in which recording and reproducing of data can beconducted, said rewritable area having a first recording section in theshape of a land where recording and reproducing of data are conducted; afirst half header section in which address information corresponding tothe first recording section is recorded; a second recording section inthe shape of a groove where recording and reproducing of data areconducted; and a second half header section, in which addressinformation corresponding to the second recording section is recorded,and which is disposed adjacent to the first half header section in azig-zag shifted manner; and wherein the second area includes an embossdata area disposed in the inner side of the disk relative to therewritable area, in which data is recorded in a different manner fromthe rewritable area, in which data is recorded by use of embossmentconsisting of a pit having a recess/protrusion profile, and in whichdata for recognizing the disk can only be reproduced.
 5. An optical diskcomprising: a first area in which data recording and reproducing can beeffected based on a first format; and a second area in which data forrecognizing said disk can only be reproduced based on a second format,wherein the first area includes a rewritable area in which recording andreproducing of data can be conducted having a first recording section inthe shape of a land where recording and reproducing of data areconducted; a first half header section in which address informationcorresponding to the first recording section is recorded; a secondrecording section in the shape of a groove where recording andreproducing of data are conducted; and a second half header section, inwhich address information corresponding to the second recording sectionis recorded, and which is disposed adjacent to the first half headersection in a zig-zag shifted manner; and wherein the second areaincludes an emboss data area, in which data is recorded in a differentmanner from the rewritable area, in which data is recorded by use ofembossment consisting of a pit having a recess/protrusion profile, andin which data for recognizing the disk can only be reproduced prior torecording or reproducing of data on the rewritable area.
 6. An opticaldisk comprising: a first area in which data recording and reproducingcan be effected based on a first format; and a second area in which datafor recognizing said disk can only be reproduced based on a secondformat, wherein the first area includes a rewritable area in whichrecording and reproducing of data can be conducted having a firstrecording section in the shape of a land where recording and reproducingof data are conducted; a first half header section in which addressinformation corresponding to the first recording section is recorded; asecond recording section in the shape of a groove where recording andreproducing of data are conducted; and a second half header section, inwhich address information corresponding to the second recording sectionis recorded, and which is disposed adjacent to the first half headersection in a zig-zag shifted manner; and wherein the second areaincludes an emboss data area as a read-in area of the disk, in whichdata is recorded in a different manner from the rewritable area, inwhich data is recorded by use of embossment consisting of a pit having arecess/protrusion profile, and in which data for recognizing the diskcan only be reproduced.
 7. An optical disk, in which a plurality of landsectors are disposed along one round of a spiral track and a pluralityof groove sectors are disposed along one round of the spiral track suchthat the plurality of land sectors and the plurality of groove sectorsare alternately successively disposed on spiral tracks along a radialdirection of said disk, comprising: a first rewritable data areaincluding a first predetermined number of land sectors disposed alongone round of a spiral track and the first predetermined number of groovesectors disposed along one round of the spiral track, a land sectorincluding a first recording section in the shape of a land where datarecording/reproducing is conducted and a first half header sectionlocated ahead of the first recording section, which indicates addressinformation of data recorded and reproduced on the first recordingsection, and a groove sector including a second recording section in theshape of a groove where data recording/reproducing is conducted and asecond half header section located ahead of the second recordingsection, which indicates address information of data recorded andreproduced on the second recording section, said second half headersection being disposed adjacent to the first half header section in azig-zag shifted manner; a first change area located in the vicinity ofthe first rewritable data area, where data write is performed when datawrite is not performed in the first rewritable data area in an orderlymanner, said first change area being associated with said land sectorsand said groove sectors in said first rewritable data area; a secondrewritable data area including a second predetermined number of landsectors disposed along one round of the spiral track and the secondpredetermined number of groove sectors disposed along one round of thespiral track, wherein the second predetermined number is different fromthe first predetermined number; and a second change area located in thevicinity of the second rewritable data area, where data write isperformed when data write is not performed in the second rewritable dataarea in an orderly manner, said second change area being associated withsaid land sectors and said groove sectors in said second rewritable dataarea.
 8. The optical disk according to claim 7, wherein the secondpredetermined number is larger than the first predetermined number. 9.The optical disk according to claim 7, wherein the second predeterminednumber is larger than the first predetermined number by one.
 10. Theoptical disk according to claim 7, wherein the first change area isdisposed on the outer side of the first rewritable area and wherein thesecond change area is disposed on the outer side of the secondrewritable area.
 11. An optical disk comprising: a plurality of landareas and a plurality of groove areas formed on a disk made of resin ina spiral or circular configuration such that each full round of saidconfiguration consists of one of a land area and a groove area, and suchthat a land area and a groove area are alternately disposed in asequential manner along a radial direction of said disk; and a pluralityof tracks formed on said plurality of land areas and said plurality ofgroove areas, said plurality of tracks being partitioned into aplurality of zones on said disk from a radially inner portion to aradially outer portion thereof, said plurality of tracks also beingcircumferentially partitioned into a plurality of sector areas such thatsector areas on each track abut sector areas on an adjacent track, saidsector areas each including an address area where address dataspecifying the location of the sector area on the track is recorded, andalso including a recording area where arbitrary data is recorded,wherein the number of sector areas per track within said zones increasesby one between adjacent zones from a radially inner portion of said diskto a radially outer portion thereof, the plurality of sector areas alsoincluding a plurality of block areas having a plurality of errorcorrection recording areas that record error correction data in order toaccurately reproduce the recorded arbitrary data, wherein the disk inuse is rotated such that a rotation number of the disk in said zones issequentially slowed between adjacent zones from a radially inner portionof said disk to a radially outer portion thereof such that a product ofthe rotation number and the number of sector areas per track in eachzone is held constant; said plurality of tracks including a rewritablearea in which recording and reproducing of data can be conducted, saidrewritable area having a first recording section in the shape of a landwhere data recording/reproducing is performed, a first half headersection in which address information corresponding to the firstrecording section is recorded, a second recording section in the shapeof a groove where data recording/reproducing is performed, and a secondhalf header section, in which address information corresponding to thesecond recording section is recorded, and which is disposed adjacent tothe first half header section in a zig-zag shifted manner.
 12. Anoptical disk recording apparatus, comprising: an optical disk having afirst area in which data recording and reproducing can be effected basedon a first format, and a second area in which data for recognizing saiddisk can only be reproduced based on a second format; wherein the firstarea includes a first recording section in the shape of a land whererecording and reproducing of data are conducted; a first half headersection in which address information corresponding to the firstrecording section is recorded; a second recording section in the shapeof a groove where recording and reproducing of data are conducted; and asecond half header section, in which address information correspondingto the second recording section is recorded, and which is disposedadjacent to the first half header section in a zigzag shifted manner;means for receiving data from an external apparatus; means for holdingand rotating said disk; and means for recording said received data onsaid disk.
 13. An optical disk recording apparatus, comprising: anoptical disk, in which a plurality of land sectors are disposed alongone round of a spiral track and a plurality of groove sectors aredisposed along one round of the spiral track such that the plurality ofland sectors and the plurality of groove sectors are alternatelysuccessively disposed on spiral tracks along a radial direction of saiddisk, said disk comprising, a first rewritable data area including afirst predetermined number of land sectors disposed along one round of aspiral track and the first predetermined number of groove sectorsdisposed along one round of the spiral track, a land sector including afirst recording section in the shape of a land where datarecording/reproducing is conducted and a first half header sectionlocated ahead of the first recording section, which indicates addressinformation of data recorded and reproduced on the first recordingsection, and a groove sector including a second recording section in theshape of a groove where data recording/reproducing is conducted and asecond half header section located ahead of the second recordingsection, which indicates address information of data recorded andreproduced on the second recording section, said second half headersection being disposed adjacent to the first half header section in azig-zag shifted manner, a first change area located in the vicinity ofthe first rewritable data area, where data write is performed when datawrite is not performed in the first rewritable data area in an orderlymanner, said first change area being associated with said land sectorsand said groove sectors in said first rewritable data area, a secondrewritable data area including a second predetermined number of landsectors disposed along one round of the spiral track and the secondpredetermined number of groove sectors disposed along one round of thespiral track, wherein the second predetermined number is different fromthe first predetermined number, and a second change area located in thevicinity of the second rewritable data area, where data write isperformed when data write is not performed in the second rewritable dataarea in an orderly manner, said second change area being associated withsaid land sectors and said groove sectors in said second rewritable dataarea; means for receiving data from an external apparatus; means forholding and rotating said disk; and means for recording said receiveddata on said disk.
 14. An optical disk recording apparatus, comprising:an optical disk, said disk having a plurality of land areas and aplurality of groove areas formed on a disk made of resin in a spiral orcircular configuration such that each full round of said configurationconsists of one of a land area and a groove area, and such that a landarea and a groove area are alternately disposed in a sequential manneralong a radial direction of said disk, said disk further having aplurality of tracks formed on said plurality of land areas and saidplurality of groove areas, said plurality of tracks being partitionedinto a plurality of zones on said disk from a radially inner portion toa radially outer portion thereof, said plurality of tracks also beingcircumferentially partitioned into a plurality of sector areas such thatsector areas on each track abut sector areas on an adjacent track, saidsector areas each including an address area where address dataspecifying the location of the sector area on the track is recorded, andalso including a recording area where arbitrary data is recorded,wherein the number of sector areas per track within said zones increasesby one between adjacent zones from a radially inner portion of said diskto a radially outer portion thereof, the plurality of sector areas alsoincluding a plurality of block areas having a plurality of errorcorrection recording areas that record error correction data in order toaccurately reproduce the recorded arbitrary data, wherein the disk inuse is rotated such that a rotation number of the disk in said zones issequentially slowed between adjacent zones from a radially inner portionof said disk to a radially outer portion thereof such that a product ofthe rotation number and the number of sector areas per track in eachzone is held constant, said plurality of tracks including a rewritablearea in which recording and reproducing of data can be conducted, saidrewritable area having a first recording section in the shape of a landwhere data recording/reproducing is performed, a first half headersection in which address information corresponding to the firstrecording section is recorded, a second recording section in the shapeof a groove where data recording/reproducing is performed, and a secondhalf header section, in which address information corresponding to thesecond recording section is recorded, and which is disposed adjacent tothe first half header section in a zig-zag shifted manner; means forreceiving data from an external apparatus; means for holding androtating said disk; and means for recording said received data on saiddisk.
 15. A method of recording data on an optical disk, said methodcomprising: receiving data from an external apparatus; holding androtating said disk; and recording said received data on said disk, saiddisk having a first area in which data recording and reproducing can beeffected based on a first format, and a second area in which data forrecognizing a disk can only be reproduced based on a second format;wherein the first area includes a first recording section in the shapeof a land where recording and reproducing of data are conducted; a firsthalf header section in which address information corresponding to thefirst recording section is recorded; a second recording section in theshape of a groove where recording and reproducing of data are conducted;and a second half header section, in which address informationcorresponding to the second recording section is recorded, and which isdisposed adjacent to the first half header section in a zig-zag shiftedmanner.
 16. A method of recording data on an optical disk, said methodcomprising: receiving data from an external apparatus; holding androtating said disk; and recording said received data on said disk, saiddisk having a plurality of land sectors disposed along one round of aspiral track and a plurality of groove sectors disposed along one roundof the spiral track such that the plurality of land sectors and theplurality of groove sectors are alternately successively disposed onspiral tracks along a radial direction of said disk, said diskcomprising, a first rewritable data area including a first predeterminednumber of land sectors disposed along one round of a spiral track andthe first predetermined number of groove sectors disposed along oneround of the spiral track, a land sector including a first recordingsection in the shape of a land where data recording/reproducing isconducted and a first half header section located ahead of the firstrecording section, which indicates address information of data recordedand reproduced on the first recording section, and a groove sectorincluding a second recording section in the shape of a groove where datarecording/reproducing is conducted and a second half header sectionlocated ahead of the second recording section, which indicates addressinformation of data recorded and reproduced on the second recordingsection, said second half header section being disposed adjacent to thefirst half header section in a zig-zag shifted manner, a first changearea located in the vicinity of the first rewritable data area, wheredata write is performed when data write is not performed in the firstrewritable data area in an orderly manner, said first change area beingassociated with said land sectors and said groove sectors in said firstrewritable data area, a second rewritable data area including a secondpredetermined number of land sectors disposed along one round of thespiral track and the second predetermined number of groove sectorsdisposed along one round of the spiral track, wherein the secondpredetermined number is different from the first predetermined number,and a second change area located in the vicinity of the secondrewritable data area, where data write is performed when data write isnot performed in the second rewritable data area in an orderly manner,said second change area being associated with said land sectors and saidgroove sectors in said second rewritable data area.
 17. A method ofrecording data on an optical disk, said method comprising: receivingdata from an external apparatus; holding and rotating said disk; andrecording said received data on said disk, said disk having a pluralityof land areas and a plurality of groove areas formed on a disk made ofresin in a spiral or circular configuration such that each full round ofsaid configuration consists of one of a land area and a groove area, andsuch that a land area and a groove area are alternately disposed in asequential manner along a radial direction of said disk, said diskfurther having a plurality of tracks formed on said plurality of landareas and said plurality of groove areas, said plurality of tracks beingpartitioned into a plurality of zones on said disk from a radially innerportion to a radially outer portion thereof, said plurality of tracksalso being circumferentially partitioned into a plurality of sectorareas such that sector areas on each track abut sector areas on anadjacent track, said sector areas each including an address area whereaddress data specifying the location of the sector area on the track isrecorded, and also including a recording area where arbitrary data isrecorded, wherein the number of sector areas per track within said zonesincreases by one between adjacent zones from a radially inner portion ofsaid disk to a radially outer portion thereof, the plurality of sectorareas also including a plurality of block areas having a plurality oferror correction recording areas that record error correction data inorder to accurately reproduce the recorded arbitrary data, wherein thedisk in use is rotated such that a rotation number of the disk in saidzones is sequentially slowed between adjacent zones from a radiallyinner portion of said disk to a radially outer portion thereof such thata product of the rotation number and the number of sector areas pertrack in each zone is held constant, said plurality of tracks includinga rewritable area in which recording and reproducing of data can beconducted, said rewritable area having a first recording section in theshape of a land where data recording/reproducing is performed, a firsthalf header section in which address information corresponding to thefirst recording section is recorded, a second recording section in theshape of a groove where data recording/reproducing is performed, and asecond half header section, in which address information correspondingto the second recording section is recorded, and which is disposedadjacent to the first half header section in a zig-zag shifted manner.18. An optical disk reproducing apparatus, comprising: an optical diskhaving a first area in which data recording and reproducing can beeffected based on a first format, and a second area in which data forrecognizing said disk can only be reproduced based on a second format;wherein the first area includes a first recording section in the shapeof a land where recording and reproducing of data are conducted; a firsthalf header section in which address information corresponding to thefirst recording section is recorded; a second recording section in theshape of a groove where recording and reproducing of data are conducted;and a second half header section, in which address informationcorresponding to the second recording section is recorded, and which isdisposed adjacent to the first half header section in a zig-zag shiftedmanner; means for holding and rotating said disk; and means fordetecting and reproducing data stored on said disk.
 19. An optical diskreproducing apparatus, comprising: an optical disk, in which a pluralityof land sectors are disposed along one round of a spiral track and aplurality of groove sectors are disposed along one round of the spiraltrack such that the plurality of land sectors and the plurality ofgroove sectors are alternately successively disposed on spiral tracksalong a radial direction of said disk, said disk comprising, a firstrewritable data area including a first predetermined number of landsectors disposed along one round of a spiral track and the firstpredetermined number of groove sectors disposed along one round of thespiral track, a land sector including a first recording section in theshape of a land where data recording/reproducing is conducted and afirst half header section located ahead of the first recording section,which indicates address information of data recorded and reproduced onthe first recording section, and a groove sector including a secondrecording section in the shape of a groove where datarecording/reproducing is conducted and a second half header sectionlocated ahead of the second recording section, which indicates addressinformation of data recorded and reproduced on the second recordingsection, said second half header section being disposed adjacent to thefirst half header section in a zig-zag shifted manner, a first changearea located in the vicinity of the first rewritable data area, wheredata write is performed when data write is not performed in the firstrewritable data area in an orderly manner, said first change area beingassociated with said land sectors and said groove sectors in said firstrewritable data area, a second rewritable data area including a secondpredetermined number of land sectors disposed along one round of thespiral track and the second predetermined number of groove sectorsdisposed along one round of the spiral track, wherein the secondpredetermined number is different from the first predetermined number,and a second change area located in the vicinity of the secondrewritable data area, where data write is performed when data write isnot performed in the second rewritable data area in an orderly manner,said second change area being associated with said land sectors and saidgroove sectors in said second rewritable data area; means for holdingand rotating said disk; and means for detecting and reproducing datastored on said disk.
 20. An optical disk reproducing apparatus,comprising: an optical disk, said disk having a plurality of land areasand a plurality of groove areas formed on a disk made of resin in aspiral or circular configuration such that each full round of saidconfiguration consists of one of a land area and a groove area, and suchthat a land area and a groove area are alternately disposed in asequential manner along a radial direction of said disk, said diskfurther having a plurality of tracks formed on said plurality of landareas and said plurality of groove areas, said plurality of tracks beingpartitioned into a plurality of zones on said disk from a radially innerportion to a radially outer portion thereof, said plurality of tracksalso being circumferentially partitioned into a plurality of sectorareas such that sector areas on each track abut sector areas on anadjacent track, said sector areas each including an address area whereaddress data specifying the location of the sector area on the track isrecorded, and also including a recording area where arbitrary data isrecorded, wherein the number of sector areas per track within said zonesincreases by one between adjacent zones from a radially inner portion ofsaid disk to a radially outer portion thereof, the plurality of sectorareas also including a plurality of block areas having a plurality oferror correction recording areas that record error correction data inorder to accurately reproduce the recorded arbitrary data, wherein thedisk in use is rotated such that a rotation number of the disk in saidzones is sequentially slowed between adjacent zones from a radiallyinner portion of said disk to a radially outer portion thereof such thata product of the rotation number and the number of sector areas pertrack in each zone is held constant, said plurality of tracks includinga rewritable area in which recording and reproducing of data can beconducted, said rewritable area having a first recording section in theshape of a land where data recording/reproducing is performed, a firsthalf header section in which address information corresponding to thefirst recording section is recorded, a second recording section in theshape of a groove where data recording/reproducing is performed, and asecond half header section, in which address information correspondingto the second recording section is recorded, and which is disposedadjacent to the first half header section in a zig-zag shifted manner;means for holding and rotating said disk; and means for detecting andreproducing data stored on said disk.
 21. A method of reproducing datastored on an optical disk, said method comprising: holding and rotatingsaid disk; and detecting and reproducing data stored on said disk, saiddisk having a first area in which data recording and reproducing can beeffected based on a first format, and a second area in which data forrecognizing said disk can only be reproduced based on a second format;wherein the first area includes a first recording section in the shapeof a land where recording and reproducing of data are conducted; a firsthalf header section in which address information corresponding to thefirst recording section is recorded; a second recording section in theshape of a groove where recording and reproducing of data are conducted;and a second half header section, in which address informationcorresponding to the second recording section is recorded and which isdisposed adjacent to the first half header section in a zig-zag shiftedmanner.
 22. A method of reproducing data stored on an optical disk, saidmethod comprising: holding and rotating said disk; and detecting andreproducing data stored on said disk, said disk having a plurality ofland sectors disposed along one round of a spiral track and a pluralityof groove sectors disposed along one round of the spiral track such thatthe plurality of land sectors and the plurality of groove sectors arealternately successively disposed on spiral tracks along a radialdirection of said disk, said disk comprising, a first rewritable dataarea including a first predetermined number of land sectors disposedalong one round of a spiral track and the first predetermined number ofgroove sectors disposed along one round of the spiral track, a landsector including a first recording section in the shape of a land wheredata recording/reproducing is conducted and a first half header sectionlocated ahead of the first recording section, which indicates addressinformation of data recorded and reproduced on the first recordingsection, and a groove sector including a second recording section in theshape of a groove where data recording/reproducing is conducted and asecond half header section located ahead of the second recordingsection, which indicates address information of data recorded andreproduced on the second recording section, said second half headersection being disposed adjacent to the first half header section in azig-zag shifted manner, a first change area located in the vicinity ofthe first rewritable data area, where data write is performed when datawrite is not performed in the first rewritable data area in an orderlymanner, said first change area being associated with said land sectorsand said groove sectors in said first rewritable data area, a secondrewritable data area including a second predetermined number of landsectors disposed along one round of the spiral track and the secondpredetermined number of groove sectors disposed along one round of thespiral track, wherein the second predetermined number is different fromthe first predetermined number, and a second change area located in thevicinity of the second rewritable data area, where data write isperformed when data write is not performed in the second rewritable dataarea in an orderly manner, said second change area being associated withsaid land sectors and said groove sectors in said second rewritable dataarea.
 23. A method of reproducing data stored on an optical disk, saidmethod comprising: holding and rotating said disk; and detecting andreproducing data stored on said disk, said disk having a plurality ofland areas and a plurality of groove areas formed on a disk made ofresin in a spiral or circular configuration such that each full round ofsaid configuration consists of one of a land area and a groove area, andsuch that a land area and a groove area are alternately disposed in asequential manner along a radial direction of said disk, said diskfurther having a plurality of tracks formed on said plurality of landareas and said plurality of groove areas, said plurality of tracks beingpartitioned into a plurality of zones on said disk from a radially innerportion to a radially outer portion thereof, said plurality of tracksalso being circumferentially partitioned into a plurality of sectorareas such that sector areas on each track abut sector areas on anadjacent track, said sector areas each including an address area whereaddress data specifying the location of the sector area on the track isrecorded, and also including a recording area where arbitrary data isrecorded, wherein the number of sector areas per track within said zonesincreases by one between adjacent zones from a radially inner portion ofsaid disk to a radially outer portion thereof, the plurality of sectorareas also including a plurality of block areas having a plurality oferror correction recording areas that record error correction data inorder to accurately reproduce the recorded arbitrary data, wherein thedisk in use is rotated such that a rotation number of the disk in saidzones is sequentially slowed between adjacent zones from a radiallyinner portion of said disk to a radially outer portion thereof such thata product of the rotation number and the number of sector areas pertrack in each zone is held constant, said plurality of tracks includinga rewritable area in which recording and reproducing of data can beconducted, said rewritable area having a first recording section in theshape of a land where data recording/reproducing is performed, a firsthalf header section in which address information corresponding to thefirst recording section is recorded, a second recording section in theshape of a groove where data recording/reproducing is performed, and asecond half header section, in which address information correspondingto the second recording section is recorded, and which is disposedadjacent to the first half header section in a zig-zag shifted manner.